The Usual Chaos
by charmedkat48
Summary: Charmed X HP X Hexwood X Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The four Charmed Ones have overcome countless challenges in the past. Yet will they be able to face the biggest challenge of all... their kids? Some slash.
1. The Power of Three

**A/N: yes, this is another Power of Four fic. Paige was raised as a Halliwell. This does include Sabrina (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), but she's Phoebe's daughter. I'm also including a Hexwood crossover. Oh, and Oh My Goddess never took place. Well, enjoy.**

"Dumbledore, are you sure that we should take him? After all, Sirius is his godfather. Shouldn't he take Harry?" Piper Halliwell looked down at the baby in her arms. So much had happened to him, and he wasn't even aware.

"As powerful as Sirius is, I'm afraid that he won't be able to protect him." Dumbledore's tone was grim. 

"Protect him from what?" Piper asked carefully.

"Voldemort."

"But he's gone."

"He is not gone. Your sister has seen that. She can sense him. I know that you don't want to believe it, but that's the truth. I trust Phoebe's powers. Voldemort is weak now, but I believe that he will gather his strength eventually. Harry must stay with you. You will be able to protect him." He paused. 

"What is it?"

"I have one other request."

"Anything."

"I want you to keep him away from the magical world. I know you and your sisters prefer the muggle world, so I want you to raise him here. He doesn't need to grow up with all that fame."

She hardly knew what to say. She was going to raise Harry Potter. "Of course."

"Thank you, Piper, for doing this. I know that you must be grieving."

Lily and James. "I can't believe that they're dead," she said softly.

"None of us can."

"I don't understand how he was able to survive with just a scar."

"Lily died protecting him."

"Old magic," she murmured. 

"Yes. I leave him to you now. Protect him well."

"I will." 

He disappeared. She closed the door and took Harry upstairs. The day had been frantic and frenzied. Lily and James were dead. Voldemort was gone. And now Piper was responsible for raising her best friend's son. _Lily. _Tears welled up in her eyes. 

"I'll never let anyone hurt you," she whispered. "Ever."

* * * *

Phoebe Halliwell stood in front of the linen closet, lips pursed and arms crossed. Low thunder erupted from within the closet. It was followed by the appearance of a blonde sixteen-year-old girl. "Hello, Sabrina," Phoebe said.

"Oh, hi mom. I didn't realize that you were up."

"This isn't like you at all. Why did you sneak into the Other Realm?"

"I'm sorry. I was trying to find another obscure relative."

"Is that all?"

"Well… there was the added benefit of running into Harvey."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to have just shimmered over there?"

"I know you can sense when I shimmer."

"True. Well, we've got to work on your training today."

Sabrina sighed. "Again? Wyatt and Chris are being so surly."

"They're teenage boys. What can you expect?"

"A proper attitude?"

"They'll get better. You three are going to form the next generation of power. You'll have the Power of Three."

"I know, but I still have all this other stuff to deal with. I have to figure out the family secret."

"You'll get it eventually."

"I don't understand why I have to go through all this crazy stuff while Chris and Wyatt don't."

"You're able to use wandless magic. It's a rare gift that you should appreciate."

"It comes with a bunch of weird stuff. I have to add that to being part demon and part Charmed One."

"But you do have a lot of fun with your powers. Come on, I'll make breakfast."

* * * * 

Prudence Halliwell shook herself out of her sleep. _Children… Why do I always see children? _She never saw the right children. She never saw Sabrina, Wyatt, or Chris. She always saw six mysterious children. They were so tortured… so pained… She had seen five of them die. She had felt their pain as her own ever since she was a small child. Her mother had tried to help her work through them, but the pain had been too much for the five-year-old child. Patty had resorted to using a memory charm on her. But the dreams always came back. Each time they did, she remembered the other dreams. She remembered every detail. 

She slipped out a notebook, quickly jotted down the dream, and pointed her finger at herself. "_Oblivi_-" She stopped and sighed. It had been so long since she had looked at the notebook. As painful as it was, she had to remember for a short time. She rummaged through the drawer and produced the very first journal. Her mother had written down the dreams at first. Then Prue's determination had led her to take on the dreams herself. 

_At the age of five, Prudence has had a vision. She has seen six children. She is able to clearly identify them. There are two sets of twins (two boys, two girls), a young girl, and a boy: Corto, Cation, Bellie, Sassal, Kessalta, and Mordion. She sees them trapped within a room with a voice whispering to them. She cannot tell what the voice is saying. _

That had been the most mild of all the dreams. She had been quite shaken by the dream, though, for the evil she felt from the voice was torturous. 

_She has had another vision of the children. She says that she saw Mordion trying to cheer up the other children with a funny image of a 'Reigner'. A robot came into the room and beat the children with a strap. Cation was injured and Mordion and Kessalta went after the robot. Mordion was able to pierce its brain. _

The sight of that beating had disturbed Prue so much that Patty had decided to use a memory charm on her. But the dreams just became worse. 

_She says that the children are training for something. She tells me that she doesn't think they'll all survive. They're being controlled by 'Reigners'. Prue still doesn't know exactly who these Reigners are._

Eventually she saw one of the Reigners, Reigner One. 

_She has seen Reigner One. He appears to be a benign person, but Prue doesn't like him at all. She knows that he is an evil person. Though he doesn't tell the children that they are unworthy, he makes sure that other people do. The children, unfortunately, take this to heart. _

She shook her head, trying not to think of how she had tried to contact those children. She had cried out to them, but they had never heard her. Then the first death took place.

_Prue saw Corto die. He had a terrible pain in his stomach. That's what caused his death. It was likely a burst appendix. The other children were blamed for his death and had to attend the postmortem._

That dream had made her so ill that she had been sure she was going to die, even though her mother had erased the dream from her memory. As traumatic as that had been, it was nothing compared to the other deaths. "No," she said and put away the notebooks. It was too much. "_Obliviate._" Her mind was cleared yet again. 

* * * *

"Good morning," Paige Halliwell said as she walked into the kitchen. "Or perhaps not," she added, seeing the looks on her nephews' faces. _Ah, fifteen and fourteen… such wonderful ages._

"Don't mind them, Aunt Paige. It is a pretty good morning," Sabrina said.

"She got another clue after sneaking into the Other Realm."

"I don't see why you like going over there, Sabs. That Witch's Council…" Salem shook his head. 

"Salem, get off the table. You'll get your fur all over it," Phoebe said and waved the spatula at him threateningly. 

"It's not my fault it's summer."

"So how are you doing with the family secret?"

"Not very well. What's so secret about the Warren-Halliwell family? And why is it so imperative that I figure it out?"

"Trust me, it is. It took us a while to figure it out, but we were glad that we did."

"But you four got to work on it together."

"Only because we were so close in age. It was pointless to try to make us do it on our own. Now there's a new Witch's Council, though, so you three won't be working on it together."

"That is so not fair."

"The Witch's Council has a lot of strange rules, but they all have some point. Don't worry about it. You'll figure out the secret soon enough."

"I hope so." 

Harry, Prue, and Piper came down. Sabrina, despite the fact that she had lived with Harry her entire life, still felt a flutter inside whenever she saw him. Everyone knew that she liked him. Everyone except Harry, who was completely oblivious. Her mother had encouraged her to go for it, but Harry treated her like a sister. He just didn't seem to see her as girlfriend material. 

Wyatt snickered as he saw her look. Sabrina scowled at him and zapped his hair blue. 

"Now, now, Sabrina."

"Oh, all right." She begrudgingly turned his hair back to its original color. 

"Why is it that she always gets away with that stuff?" Wyatt asked, surly as usual. "I never get to use my magic." 

"She's sixteen now.  She's trying to get her witch's license, so she has to work on her magic," Phoebe replied. It seemed that they went through this routine every morning. But as a mother, she was used to it. "Harry, you'll have to work with us today. We'll be going after live demons. It will be good practice for you."

Like the others, Harry had been raised with the challenge of dark beings. He knew that he would have to defeat Voldemort one day. "You always make it sound like a chore. Believe it or not, I actually like training."

"You wouldn't if you had to work like we do," Sabrina said. 

"But you get a ton of power."

"True." She really wished that everyone would stop looking at her. She glanced at them. They were all watching as if they were expecting something to happen. She flicked her fingers. "You guys really need to stop doing that."

"What are we doing?" Paige asked innocently. 

"Nothing is going to happen between us."

"You're totally crushing on him," Piper said.

"You're my aunts. You're supposed to be on my side. Mom is supposed to be the one who tortures me."

"Sometimes I need some help. And we're not trying to torture you. We just think you two would make a cute couple."

"I have a boyfriend."

"For now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, Harry's going out with Cho. That doesn't mean things can't change."

She winced at the mention of Cho's name.

"If you're not into him, why do you hate Cho so much?"

"Because she's a whiny brat. I don't see what Harry sees in her."

"You would if you were a boy."

"Gross, Chris. Now all of you stay out my love life." She flicked her fingers again. 

A letter popped out of the toaster with a small ding. Prue took it out and opened it. "Hmm… This doesn't look good." She glowered at Salem. 

"If it's about a vacuum, I was framed," Salem said quickly. 

"How the heck did you manage to fly the vacuum cleaner out the window?"

"I just touched it and it went crazy."

"A likely story. Where is it now?"

"Um… I'm not quite sure."

"Piper, you want to summon it?"

"Certainly." She pointed and the vacuum cleaner appeared. It was some the worse for wear, but it was still intact. 

"Geez, Salem. What did you do to it?"

"How would you react if a vacuum cleaner turned on by itself? Don't answer that."

_Just a normal morning in the Halliwell manor, _Sabrina thought and sighed.

* * * *

"First, you're all going to call upon a certain demon." Phoebe, Piper, Harry, Wyatt, Chris, and Sabrina were all in the magical park. It was a place where they had been granted permission to practice demon fighting. Everyone in the magical world was grateful for all the things the Charmed Ones had done. 

Sabrina groaned. She hated calling upon demons. She could never do it. 

"It's relatively simple, Sabs," Phoebe told her. 

"I still don't get it."

"You just have to close your eyes and call the demon to you."

"But how is that possible? Why would it come to me?"

"It's magic. I don't see why you have to question things constantly."

"It's in my nature."

"Just try it once."

"Okay, but I'm not promising anything." She closed her eyes and drew the demon to the park. Nothing happened. "Just have Chris do it. He gets it."

"I know that Chris and Wyatt get it. I want you to get it. Close your eyes. Picture the demon in your mind. See her clearly. It's like she's right next to you."

She did, pushing back the nagging doubts. When she opened her eyes, the demon was there. She was surprised, but that didn't stop her from forming an energy ball and killing the demon. 

"Good job."

"Do I get a cookie?"

"Where did you get that tongue?"

"My mother."

She smiled. She was glad that she had Sabrina. She wasn't exactly proud of Sabrina's parentage, but that couldn't be helped. _Cole was good when I fell in love with him. _She didn't like to think of Cole. Remembering him meant remembering his death. Remembering his death forced her to think about why he had died. He had become the Source when Phoebe was three months pregnant. Sabrina had caused quite a stir. The Elders had wanted Phoebe to give her up. They had thought that she would be evil. Her sisters had supported her, and Sabrina had been brought into the world. Phoebe couldn't imagine life without her. 

Still, her life with Sabrina had a tendency to hold her back, especially when it came to Sirius. Phoebe was in love with Sirius Black. She had been for a while. She had held back, though, not wanting to hurt Sabrina. _That was a while ago. Sabrina's growing up. Maybe…_

"Mom, you okay? You look out of it."

"Yeah, I was just thinking about some things."

_Sirius. _Sabrina knew all about her mother's feelings for Sirius. She didn't like Sirius at all. She knew that Phoebe had loved her father. She sometimes wondered how things would have turned out if Cole had remained good. _It would be pretty different. _"Shall we go onto the next demon?" Her eyes shut as a premonition took over. 

"What is it?"

"I saw Chris being taken by a demon."

"Can you identify it?"

"Yes."

"Piper, you take care of the boys. We have to look at the Book of Shadows." 

They shimmered to the attic and started to search through the Book.

"It kind of looked cross between Voldemort and Jeremy."

"Would," she flipped to the right page, "this be it?"

"The Cian Master? I've never seen that before."

"That's because there's only one Cian Master. It's a high level demon. We'll take care of this one."

"I thought we were supposed to work on the Power of Three."

"You're too young to take on the Cian Master. You're still working on the lower level demons."

"We could take him."

"No, you couldn't. Leave this to us."

"But it'd be a good learning experience."

"You can't learn anything if you're dead."

"I plan to do as little dying as possible."

"Then avoid this demon. If he comes after you, get out of there and take Chris and Wyatt up there."

"I'm not allowed up there."

"Oh yeah. Well, get to us. The Cian Master can trace a shimmer faster than you can move."

"It sounds like you've dealt with this one personally."

"We did and we nearly died."

"I think I'll avoid it."

"Good. I'm finally reaching you." They shimmered back to the park. 

"What is it? Anything serious?" Piper asked.

"Yes. Let's finish up here and-"

"Mom, look out!" She knocked Phoebe down and shot an energy ball at the demon that had just appeared. It was the Cian Master, though, so the ball had no affect.

"You four get out of here!" 

"But-"

"Go!" 

Sabrina grabbed Harry and they all orbed and shimmered out. 

"What was that?" Wyatt questioned. 

"The Cian Master. He's after Chris." 

Wyatt went over to the Book. He did fight a lot with his brother, but he was always ready to defend Chris. "Are we going after it?"

"Didn't you see how my energy ball didn't affect him? He's way too powerful for us to take on."

"We have the Power of Three."

"We have an underdeveloped Power of Three."

"You're actually listening to your mother?" 

"Wyatt, I've told you before to not use your telepathy on me."

"You use your powers on me," he pointed out. 

"That's different."

"How?"

CRACK. Phoebe and Piper apparated into the attic. They were both okay. 

"Are you four all right?"

"We're fine. What about you? Is the Cian Master gone?"

"For now. We didn't vanquish him. Piper blew him up and he decided that it wasn't worth his effort." She paused and thought. "Can you tell when this is going to happen?"

Sometimes Sabrina was able to sense when her premonitions were going to come true. Now was not one of those times. "No, but it was at the school."

"You'll have be extra careful this year," Piper said. She was all too familiar with their adventures. Harry always ended up in Voldemort's clutches, and demons were constantly after the boys and Sabrina. More often, however, they got themselves into danger. She had sent quite a few howlers to the school over the years. She looked to Phoebe, who nodded. "Leo!" He came up the stairs. "Oh. I thought you were up there." She went up to him and murmured, "Watch over them. We need to have a P four chat."

"Okay." 

Piper and Phoebe went down the stairs, muttering things until they were out of earshot. 

"We have to keep a close eye on them."

"We could use Dumbledore as our eyes."

"Dumbledore can't be with them all the time. We need to be near them personally."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

She grinned. "I hope so."

* * * *

The summer had ended. Sabrina was rather relieved. She loved Hogwarts, and the threat of the Cian Master had been lingering over them for the last week of summer vacation, making it significantly unpleasant. 

"Keep us updated. Every-"

"-time that a demon attacks, write to you. Write about any unusual events. Write about-"

"Boys." 

"Every boy?"

"Only the important one." She winked. 

There was something that made that wink seem suspicious. It was almost like she wasn't just implying Harry. She was hiding something. "Mom…."

"The train is leaving. You'd better get on there." She hurried her onto the train. She always took the Hogwarts Express, even though she was perfectly able to shimmer straight to school. She didn't like other people to know that she was part demon. They usually didn't react very well. "I love you! Make good choices!" 

_Make good choices? There's no doubt. She is up to something. _She tried not to let that her bother her as she went into the compartment with Ron, Harry, and Hermione. She _tried_… 

"Any big adventures this summer?" Hermione asked her. 

"We had a run in with the 'Cian Master'."

Hermione gasped. 

"Don't tell me you know all about him."

"I do. He's one of the most powerful demons. He's second only to the Source."

"He was second before the Power of Four kicked the Source's ass. Now it would seem that he's the most powerful. I had a premonition, and it seems that he's going to go after Chris." She sighed. "But let's not talk about that right now. Ron, has Ginny told you any… surprising news?" 

"No. Why?"

She grinned at Hermione. "Never mind." She froze Harry and Ron. 

"What's the news?" 

"Wyatt is going out with Ginny. It's so sweet."

"Ron's going to be in for quite a surprise."

"Definitely. This is going to be hilarious." She unfroze the two. 

"What are you talking about?" 

Sabrina and Hermione just looked at each other and laughed. 

At last they arrived at Hogwarts. _Being back here will get my mind off of things. _

Once they were settled in the Great Hall, Sabrina surveyed the room, paying special attention to the teacher's table. _Looks like we have a few new teachers coming. _Four seats were vacant. She happily noted that Snape was one of the ones missing. _Please let him be gone. _Snape hated her because of Phoebe. They had been enemies in school. Snape, of course, was convinced that Sabrina was her mother and therefore hated her. 

"I'm pleased to announce that we will be welcoming four new teachers to our staff," Dumbledore stated.

"Snape's finally gone," Ron said. 

"Took him long enough."

The familiar blue light of an orb illuminated the doorway. The sisters appeared. Sabrina tensed, wondering why they were at Hogwarts. 

"And here they are. Paige Halliwell will be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Piper Halliwell will be our new Potions professor. Prue Halliwell will be teaching History of Magic. Phoebe Halliwell will be the professor of Divination."

Sabrina blinked, then flicked her fingers. The activity stopped. "Mom, what's going on?" She went up to her mother.

"I wanted to surprise you," Phoebe said.

"Surprise? Did you tell Chris and Wyatt?"

"No," Chris said. 

"We would have told you, but we knew that you'd react badly."

"You're going to ruin my life!"

"Yeah, like that."

"You won't give me an inch of breathing room." She knew her mother and her aunts all too well. They had a tendency to be more than a little overprotective. Not that they didn't have good reason, but Sabrina didn't care about that. 

"Yes, we will."

"Why did you do this?"

"This is a way that we can keep you out of danger."

"Danger finds us."

"Not always. We know you three quite well."

"Just don't call me Sabs. And please don't tell me that you brought Salem."

"We had to. We're in charge of him."

"Well this is just fantastic." _This is going to be one heck of a year. _

**A/N: I've posted two other first chapters for different stories. I want to see which one will get a response first. I'll eventually update all of them, but the one that gets the first response will have priority.**


	2. Whispers From the Past

**A/N: I was surprised to get such a quick response. This will be my primary story. A big thanks goes out to gimmeabreak, egastin77, golden wolf, and phoenix5143 for reviewing. I'll be sure the make Malfoy bad, and Cho will not be staying with Harry. I hate Cho. **

"Sabrina, it's time to get up."

Sabrina opened her eyes slightly. She immediately went crashing down onto her bed. She had been levitating in her sleep again. It was something that had only started to happen now that she was sixteen. After she recovered from the shock of that awakening, she searched for the source of the voice. Salem was sitting at the end of her bed. "Salem, go away. What are you doing in the girl's dorm?"

"Waking you up, of course. Your mother couldn't come, so she sent me," he said. 

"Ha ha. That's really funny."

"Why are you so annoyed about them being here?"

"We won't be able to go on our little adventures with mom and the aunts here."

"Were you planning on going after Voldemort?"

"No. I'm talking about using my magic for things. This year is going to be so dull."

"Are you kidding? The Charmed Ones attract all kinds of danger. You'll have tons of adventures."

"No, _they'll_ have adventures. We'll be kept safe." 

"I highly doubt that you four will stay safe. Trouble will find you."

"I don't know. Now shoo before I put a pink bow on your head."

He quickly scampered out. Sabrina glanced at the others. They were still sleeping. It wasn't too early, but she still could have slept in longer. Salem did this often. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was becoming more and more like a cat. He never slept at night, and he always woke her up at some ungodly hour. She would have to get back at him somehow. 

Sighing, she rubbed her bleary eyes and stretched. She knew that she wouldn't be getting back to sleep any time soon. She didn't much feel like getting ready, so she opted to look through her personal spell book. Over the years, she had created many incantations and spells. She had written them all within the pages of the leather bound book. The pages were currently blank, but that changed once she pressed her hand against the cover. You could never be too careful, especially with people like Malfoy around. Her writing appeared. She flipped to a random page. It happened to be the page where Phoebe had listed one of her favorite spells. 

_The Skip It! Spell- whenever you run into a question that you'd like to avoid, simply use this spell. Maintain eye contact with the other person. Twirl your index finger in a counter-clockwise circle and whisper 'skip it, let it go, skip it, you don't want to know'. The person will immediately move onto another subject. _

Sabrina smirked wryly. She had used that spell quite a few times before. Unfortunately, it didn't work on those in her family. It was one of the many Halliwell quirks. It seemed that those quirks were becoming more numerous because of the fact that she was getting closer to gaining her witch's license. She hoped that she would be safer now that she was at Hogwarts. Of course, with her family around, things couldn't be certain. 

She skimmed another page. 

The Too Much Spell- a quick spell to help relieve stress and anxiety. If the world is pressing down on you, sit in lotus position. Close your eyes and say 'this stuff is too much, I can't take it now, give me a breath, any way anyhow'. While things won't be taken away, the emotions will. 

She dog-marked the page, sensing that the days ahead would not be very easy. When she added it all up – her family, her vision, her friends – things were leaning towards the dangerous zone. And she hadn't even included the expected variable, though the variable would likely turn out to be something completely unexpected. That sort of thing always came up sooner or later. _What will the 'x' be this time? _

She didn't have time to think about that. The others were getting up, so it was time for her to get ready. Her head hurt from wondering so much. She hadn't slept well the previous night either. Her dreams had been filled with images of insanely impossible things, such as normality within her life. Those dreams usually made her wake up to figure out if they were the reality. They never were. 

"Hello? Earth to Sabrina."

Sabrina suddenly realized that Hermione had been talking to her. She had scarcely noticed that she was now down in the common room, ready to face the day. 

"You in there?" Hermione asked. 

"Not really. Physically I'm awake, but mentally I'm asleep," Sabrina responded. 

"I see."

"What was it you were saying?"

"I was saying how exciting it will be to be taught by the Charmed Ones."

"For the life of me, I cannot understand why you have a fascination with the entire Warren-Halliwell family." That was actually how they had become friends. Hermione had recognized her and had struck up a conversation. After that, there was no separating them. 

"You all not only get to have wandless magic, you also get extra powers that no other witch or wizard can have. You fight all these evil creatures, and you always win. How could that not be interesting?"

"Well, it is interesting, but it's also scary at times."

"That would still be the same if you didn't have your powers. You do live with Harry. Speaking of him…" She smiled mischievously, which was a rare thing for Hermione. "Hmm?"

"Hmm what?"

"Have you two realized your feelings for each other?"

"Have you and Ron?"

"I do not like Ron."

"Then I don't like Harry."

"Are you saying that your relationship with Harry depends completely on my nonexistent relationship with Ron?"

"You know, you really have a way with words. Harry is not interested in me, but Ron is very interested in you. I know that you like him. Just go for it."

"You're trying to distract me."

"Is it that obvious? I thought I was covering rather well."

"I don't like Ron."

"Yes, you do."

"Well why don't you go for it?"

"Harry is currently too occupied with sucking the lips off of Cho to notice the world around him, let alone me. I'm not going to try to pry those two apart. I'm happy with Harvey. He notices me."

Hermione didn't get a chance to respond, for a man suddenly appeared beside them. Sabrina jumped and tried to freeze him, but she couldn't. 

"Sabrina Halliwell, I presume."

"No, Dr. Livingston. Who are you? Where did you come from?" The man seemed to be in his twenties. He had dark skin and was wearing vibrant clothes. 

"I'm your quizmaster. I'm here to help you master your powers."

"Oh, a quizmaster," Hermione, also known as the human encyclopedia, said. "I've read about quizmasters in the history of the Other Realm."

"Other Realm? You must be the variable. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I'm already being taught by several teachers."

"Those teachers won't be able to teach you how to turn yourself into the elements."

"Okay…"

"I just came to introduce myself. I'll be back soon." He disappeared. 

"Umm… That was weird. I think I'll ask Uncle Leo about that." She shook her head. "Where are those boys?"

"I don't know, but they're going to be late."

Sabrina looked at her, eyebrow raised. 

"Oops. I forgot that you can stop time and that you have the same schedule as them."

"I thought you never forgot anything."

"Hey, I'm not perfect."

"Sure, prefect."

Hermione gave her a look. 

"I said prefect."

"Arguing again?" Harry and Ron had finally come down. 

"No. What took you so long?"

"Part of the room was frozen. It took a while to wear off," Harry said. 

"Oh. Sorry about that. A quizmaster surprised me. I'll explain later."

* * * *

Vierran didn't like the situation at all. There was something very wrong on Earth. She hadn't yet viewed the stats of Earth, but she could feel that something was off. It was an eerie feeling, and though she logically couldn't be sure that something was wrong, she somehow was. It wasn't like her feeling was justified; Earth had been doing quite well as of late. Still, she couldn't shake the sense that something big was brewing on Earth. Since she was the Second Reigner, she needed to find out the facts. 

Vierran, we need to have a meeting. 

She wasn't surprised to hear Mordion's voice in her head. _I'll be right there, _she responded. She headed to the meeting area swiftly. The other Reigners, Martellian, Arthur, and Fitela, were already there. "What happened on Earth?"

"A new power of darkness is arising," Martellian informed her. 

"A new Source?"

"He doesn't claim that title, but his powers are certainly growing. They will soon equal those of the Source," Mordion responded. "It's the Cian Master. He threatens the entire network of worlds."

"Will the Charmed Ones be able to handle him?"

"I believe so, but we'll have to monitor them closely. We won't interfere unless we are forced to." The last Reigners had not dealt with Earth while the Source had gained his powers. The Charmed Ones had been able to handle him, but it had been a close call. Vierran was quite relieved that those Reigners were dead. "If we lose them, the results could be disastrous."

"But we'll make sure that doesn't happen," Arthur said reassuringly. 

"Doesn't that wizard factor into this? Voldefort?" She could never remember those ridiculous Earth names, despite the fact that the Bannus had made her into an Earthling for a short time. 

"Voldemort He could prove to be a distraction, but Harry Potter will be able to kill him. He has been trained by the Charmed Ones. He can't fail."

"I certainly hope so."

* * * *

"You mean to tell me that I have to pass an elements test?" Sabrina questioned Salem. It came out more like an accusation, but she didn't mind. 

"Yes. You have to turn yourself into all four elements," he said through a mouthful of bacon. 

"That's impossible."

"It's perfectly possible. I was able to do it."

"But what's the point?"

"It's far more useful that you would expect."

"I'm going to protest this."

"How?"

Her friends were watching her with amusement. She didn't notice. 

"I'll… I'll misuse my magic!"

"One: that will only get you in trouble. Two: that won't help once you solve the family secret."

"Is that a hint? And what does it mean?"

"It means that your actions will-" His mouth suddenly transformed into a zipper. 

Sabrina scowled and unzipped his mouth. "I'm guessing that mom put a spell on you so that you wouldn't drop any hints."

"Then I'm glad that I chewed a hole in her sweater!"

"That was you?"

"Er…"

Up at the teacher's table, Phoebe eyed Piper and Paige. "You two are nervous."

"Aren't you?" Paige had hardly eaten anything. 

"No. We've taught Sabrina, Chris, and Wyatt for a long time. How is this any different?"

"We're not related to all these kids, and they aren't all very nice."

"You can't handle eleven-year-olds?"

"Most of my students will not be eleven."

"Paige, you're way older than them."

"I'm not _way_ older," she interrupted indignantly. 

"You can handle them. So can you, Piper."

"I know, but it's still different. I can't believe I'm teaching Potions."

"Well I can't believe that I'm teaching History of Magic," Prue said with certain disdain. "None of the students will tune in."

"So spice it up. You're good at that sort of thing." She turned to Piper and Paige. "You two stop worrying, and Prue, you know how to grab attention."

"I feel like my post as older sister is being threatened."

"None of us could ever replace you, Prue. Especially not me."

"I see that you're not worried about Divination."

She shrugged. "There's not much to teach in the area. You either have the gift or you don't."

"That's not what the Ministry believes. They have certain standards," Piper pointed out. 

"I'll teach what they want me to teach, but I'm going to make it clear that none of this will be assured. Who will argue with me?"

Prue was quite proud of her sisters. They had come a long way over the years. Phoebe had definitely made the most dramatic improvement. She had once been a renegade with no goals in life. Now she was a loving mother with a steady job and a clear outlook on life. Prue couldn't help but feel that it was at least partly because of her influence. 

"I am worried about the boys, though," Piper said, looking at her sons. 

"They're going to be fine," Prue said soothingly. "We're here, and we're going to protect them."

Piper nodded slightly, lost in thought. The Cian Master and the Source were the only two demons that had come close to killing the Charmed Ones. The Cian Master had even managed to capture both Phoebe and Piper. He had been ready to kill them when Prue and Paige rescued them. That was something that they didn't plan on telling Sabrina, Wyatt, and Chris, not while the Cian Master was still around. They didn't want them to worry. In particular, Sabrina tended to worry about her cousins. Like Prue, she was well suited for the role of the eldest. She was kind of like a combination of Phoebe and Prue. It was rather strange, but it worked. 

"I think Salem just discovered our little spell." Paige motioned towards Salem. "How long does it take for his mouth to return to normal?"

"I don't think we put a time limit on it," said Phoebe. 

"Oh well."  

"Stop laughing!" Sabrina scowled at her so-called friends. "I can't see anything funny in this situation."

"You're cute when you get annoyed. And it is funny. You're acting like the entire world is being placed on your shoulders." Harry smirked at her. 

She was rather at a loss for words. _Cute? Did her just call me cute? Maybe he…_

That thought was canceled out before she could even finish it, for just then, Cho walked up and put her hand possessively on Harry's arm. Jealousy flared up in Sabrina. 

"Morning, Harry," Cho purred. "I was wondering if-"

Sabrina abruptly got up. "I think I left something up in the dorm," she said loudly and left. __

_What was that all about? _Harry wondered. He knew Sabrina well, and it wasn't like her to act like that. He shrugged it off and turned his attention to Cho. 

_Why does she always have to show up? She always hangs all over him. It's disgusting. She acts like she has no self-control. She just airs her emotions to everyone around her, and she would do anything to get attention. _She was seething with anger. After all that Cho had done to Harry, he had still let her come back. It was clear that they weren't meant to be together. _They aren't suited for each other at all! Harry should be with someone else… like me. Come on, Sabrina. Don't give yourself false hope. Hope and disappointment go together, especially when it comes to Harry. _

She gradually became aware of the fact that she was wandering the halls. Somehow she had ended up far from where she needed to be. She glanced around to see if anyone was around. The coast was clear. She shimmered to the dungeons. This year, she had Potions first. That fact was far easier to face now that Piper was her teacher instead of Snape. _I guess there are some advantages to having them here. _

_You seem troubled. _

Sabrina whirled around. She had heard a girl's voice, but it seemed as though it had been coming from inside her head. That was supported by the fact that she was all alone in the hall. "Who said that?" As there was no response, she decided to ask in her head. _Who said that?_

_I am the Shadow. You are the Watcher, aren't you? _The girl sounded like she was young, but there was a strong hint of crone-like wisdom to it. 

Sabrina had never been called the Watcher before, but it felt right to her. It was what she often did, after all. _ Yes, I am, and I think I'm going crazy. _

_You're not going crazy, _the Shadow said calmly._ I'm real. _

_If that's true, then I must using telepathy. But I don't have that power. _

_I don't have telepathy either. _

_Then what is this? _

_I don't know, but I'll find out. _

All at once, the voice was gone. Sabrina was filled with confusion. Was she getting a new power? Was she simply going crazy? She didn't know. 

"It's time to get to our classes," Prue said. 

"Bring it on," said Phoebe. "This Divination class is going to be different. I'm not going to teach like that fake did." She had a particular distaste for Trelawney. She demeaned the title of psychic. She was an embarrassment for all those in the psychic community. 

"I'm going to be teaching the fifth year Gryffindors first," said Paige. "I'm not sure if having Wyatt there will make things harder or easier."

"Well I have both Harry and Sabrina in my first lesson, and I have that Malfoy boy that Sabrina warned me about. With Potions, you don't have to teach much, but-"

"But nothing. If the students get annoying, just blow something up and tell them that's what will happen if you blow your stack."

"Interesting approach, Pheebs."

"Hey, it'd work. I have a feeling that all the students will fear and respect us. We've killed tons of demons and we were aurors."

"I must admit that you do have a point," Prue said. 

"This is going to be a piece of cake."

"Sabrina is probably already at the dungeons," Hermione concluded. "Let's just get down there and check."

"Why would she bother to wait there? She could just shim-"

"Ron, you are so tactless! You know that you're not supposed to mention that stuff while other people can hear."

"Geez, Sabrina's turning into Lupin."

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"They both have big secrets, though Lupin's secret isn't so secret anymore."

"Just shut it, Ron."

"Well put, Harry. Let's go." Hermione picked up her bag. It seemed heavier and lumpier than usual, but she ignored that and led the way to the dungeons. "I was right," she said triumphantly. 

"Way to be humble, Herm," Ron remarked. 

She hit him lightly. She immediately saw that Sabs looked kind of weirded out. "What's up?" 

"Nothing. I just… well, never mind." She shook her head and went into the dungeons. 

They sat and Hermione opened her bag. What was that black thing? She lifted it up to find that it was Salem. "Salem! What are you doing in my bag?"

"I don't like walking long distances, and I wanted to see the sisters teach," he replied. 

"That's fine, but I am not going to carry you around to the rest of my classes."

Salem pouted, but Hermione stood her ground. 

"If you want it so much, you can haul yourself around."

Within a short while, class began. "Good morning and welcome to Advanced Potions. I am Professor Halliwell. You'll probably be throwing that name around a lot today."

_Well, Aunt Piper is better than Snape… way better._

"Today you'll be making a potion that can be used to incapacitate an opponent. Unlike the other potions you've created before, this potion doesn't need to be ingested. It can simply be thrown at your target. The supplies are in the cabinet, and the instructions are on the board." She pointed her finger and the instructions appeared. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me." 

_Though I do wonder what happened to him. I'll have to ask them later. _Sabrina, of course, was quite good at making potions. She was familiar with this potion and could make it with her eyes closed. _Hmm… that sounds like a nice challenge… _But she didn't want to show off like that, and it wouldn't help her aunt at all. She settled for making up the potion the old fashioned way. 

The period flew by quickly, and it was largely uneventful. The only situation that arose occurred at the end, when Malfoy tried to knock over Harry's bottled potion. Piper froze it using her catlike reflexes. 

"I'd be more careful next time, Mr. Malfoy. This is a high quality potion. It would be a shame if it had been wasted," Piper told him. 

For the first time ever, Potions class had been enjoyable. _Yes, there are definite advantages. _

The nerves Piper had felt before had now dissipated. _Phoebe was right. This is nothing, _she thought and smiled. 

**A/N: bonus points to anyone who knows where I got my chapter titles. **


	3. Haunted by Desire

**A/N: thank you so much, Caitlin, phoenix5143, and gimmeabreak, for reviewing the last chapter. I'm glad that my stories have created some believers. I hope that this story will be as good as the others. I have a lot planned for it, so keep reading. Phoenix, I am going to address all your issues in the next chapter. **

"Ow, ow, ow." Sabrina winced and looked at her finger. "Dang it, I have a hangnail." She sighed and fell over onto the couch. "Could this day get any worse?"

"How was this day bad?" Hermione questioned. They had both finished their homework. Ron and Harry were still working. 

"You know why." She tried to not look at Harry. 

"No, I really don't," Hermione responded. She was holding back laughter. The situation between Harry and Sabrina was only funny because they couldn't see how much they cared for each other. 

"If I had my magic… But I'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"Why don't you just call Leo?"

"I don't want to bother him now. It can wait until tomorrow." She frowned. Tomorrow was her first day of Divination. Phoebe didn't believe in the mumbo-jumbo that Trelawney had taught them, so Sabrina didn't know what her mother would be doing. 

However, Trelawney was a proper distraction. The fact that Trelawney hadn't been hired back was actually Sabrina's fault. 

"Sabs, do you know why Trelawney wasn't hired back?" Hermione asked. "It's much better like this, but I'm still kind of curious."

"I was just thinking about her. Well, that would be my fault."

"Your fault?"

"Yeah. The Ministry decided to test her skills because they had some doubts about her ability. That just happened to be the day that I dropped by the Ministry to see mom and the aunts. I ran into her as they were taking her to be questioned and had a vision of her leaving Hogwarts. They asked me what I had seen, and I told them without thinking. They decided that they couldn't argue with the vision of a Halliwell, and now she has her own little practice."

"Good job."

"I still feel bad, though."

"Is she doing all right?"

"Yes, but I still feel guilty."

"You'll get over it." She picked up her wand and looked at Sabrina thoughtfully. 

"Uh oh. What's going on in your head, Miss Hermione?"

"I could heal that hangnail."

"No!" 

"I have this neat little spell. You won't feel a thing."

"Yeah, right." She jumped behind the couch. 

"You're totally overreacting. You know that I know this stuff."

"Magic doesn't affect me like it affects other people. I don't need my magic right now." She peeked cautiously over the edge. 

"Oh, fine. Ron, Harry, are you done yet?"

"Almost."

She examined their papers. "You've hardly done anything. You were listening to us, weren't you?"

"No…"

Hermione sighed. "Let's go, Sabs."

The two went upstairs and left the boys to get through their homework. 

"They have absolutely no focus at all," Hermione complained. 

"That's not exactly true. They focus on saving the world a lot." 

"Yes, they do face that stuff with considerable energy. If only they could apply the same commitment to school."

"They're going to end up just fine."

"I hope so."

"You're such a worrywart, Herm."

"I am not a worrywart."

"Worrywart!"

"I am not!"

"Okay, you're not." They got into the room. "Worrywart," she whispered. 

"I heard that!"

Feeling a little better, Sabrina got into bed. Even though she was fairly worn out, she decided to try to contact the Shadow. She had been wondering about the Shadow throughout the day. She had ruled out telepathy, as she had been unable to read any other thoughts. Her connection with the Shadow seemed to be different. _That is, if the Shadow is real at all. _She took a deep breath. _Shadow? _she asked in her mind. _Can you hear me?_

_Yes, _the Shadow responded. 

*I wasn't sure if I'd be able to contact you again. I need to make sure that you're real. Tell me something that I definitely wouldn't know.*

_Hmm… Well, do you know anything about the Aberdeen Witches?_

_Uh… Never heard of them. That's good. Now I know you're real. _A million wonderings flooded her mind. She briefly considered telling the Shadow who she was, but she liked the anonymousness of the situation. She didn't have to be Sabrina Halliwell. She could just be the Watcher. Plus there was the fact that the Shadow could potentially be dangerous. Sabrina didn't get that feel from the Shadow, but it was better to be safe than to be sorry. 

_What made you so upset earlier? _

_A boy. I have a crush on this great guy. He's cute, he's funny, he's smart…_

_What's the problem, then?_

_He has a girlfriend._

_Ah. What's she like?_

_She's an annoying bimbo. She is totally using him. _

_Perhaps you should intervene. If she's that bad, she can't be any good for him. _

_I would, but he's head over heels for her. He doesn't usually understand the things she does, but he won't be leaving her any time soon. _

_You could enlist the help of others. A group opinion may be better to sway him than an individual opinion. _

_That's a good idea. Thanks. _Her instinct told her to ask the Shadow to tell her more about herself, but she didn't want to. She could feel that the Shadow liked to be anonymous too. Everyone wanted to just be himself or herself, and Sabrina didn't need to know who the Shadow was. 

She didn't know that the Shadow was someone who she should have known very well. 

* * * *

_Time to face another day, and all the other mysteries. _Sabrina didn't move from the comfort of her bed. _I have to get up. I have to get up… I don't want to get up. _

_I know exactly how you feel. _

That was enough to get her up and out of bed. She leapt out of bed, wide-awake. The voice she had just heard hadn't been the voice of the Shadow. She had heard a boy's voice. _Who are you? _She was just getting used to hearing one voice. She didn't need any other voices. 

_The Son. _

_The Son? Son of whom? _She had granted the Shadow anonymousness, but she wasn't going to trust this voice right away. 

_I'd rather not get into that. Who are you?_

_I'm the Watcher, apparently. _

_Huh. So now there's two voices. I must be going crazy. _

_No, I must be going crazy. Wait, you've heard another voice, too?_

_Yes. She calls herself-_

_The Shadow?_

_Yes. How'd you know?_

_I've had a chat with her. I don't understand this. It's not natural to hear voices. I'm not a telepath. The Shadow isn't a telepath, and I'm guessing that you're not a telepath. _

_Correct. _

_Well, I really don't want to figure this out. I have too much to try to understand. For now, I'm just going to let this situation be. _

_Same here. I think the Shadow's going to figure this out. It feels like she's very wise. _

_Yeah, I got that feel too. _She sat back down. "More crazy stuff everyday." 

"I'm going to be facing Sabrina today," Phoebe said. She was in Prue's room. 

"Is that a problem for you?" Prue asked. 

"No. But there's nothing that I can teach her. She's going to be bored out of her mind this year."

"That's not likely. With two Halliwells in one room, demons will probably pop up all the time." Prue looked her sister up and down. "Pheebs, do you have to dress like that?"

"Yes. I like to wear this stuff. Besides, I'm wearing a robe. You can't even tell that this is a halter."

"Well, you're only encouraging those boys."

"What do you expect me to wear?"

"Something that's proper for a teacher."

"Teachers wear boring clothes. I am not going to look like McGonagall. I can be professional and sexy at the same time."

"I feel bad for Sabrina. She's getting competition from her mother."

"All those boys are just lusting after me. There's only one man for me." Her look became wistful. 

"You're torturing yourself by not going for him."

"I thought you didn't approve of Sirius."

"I didn't approve of the young Sirius. He's an adult now."

"I don't want Sabrina to feel threatened."

"Sabrina wouldn't turn hostile or anything."

"That's not what I'm afraid of. I know that Sabrina will be painfully polite on the outside. Inside, she'll be bursting with rejection. She won't tell us, and she'll do her best to block my empathy. I'm stuck."

"Talk with her."

"She doesn't want to talk about Sirius. Every time I bring up the subject, she changes it. Every time he shows up around me, Sabrina suddenly has something else to do. She avoids going to his house like she's avoiding the plague. I just don't know what to do."

"You may have to try something else."

"Later." Just talking about it drained her. 

"You can't keep putting it off. You love him. She knows that you do." 

"Her life is so messed up this year. Sixteen is one of the most important years. She's facing a lot now. I don't want to compound her stress." 

"Don't wait too long."

Salem strolled in. "Morning, ladies. I say, you are both looking ravishing today."

"What do you want?" they asked at the same time. 

"Want? Why, nothing."

"Sure. Just tell us. You can't butter us up," said Phoebe. 

"Can one of you carry me to your class? I want to see how you teach. I watched Piper yesterday."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Prue chided. 

"I'm not truly a cat, so that doesn't count."

"You can come to my class, Salem, as long as you don't disrupt it," Phoebe told him. 

"Scout's honor." He held up his hand. "Except I don't have an opposable thumb. I miss having a thumb."

"You do?" She winked at Prue and turned his paws into thumbs. 

"That's not what I meant."

She unzapped his paws and picked him up. "I think Piper and Paige are already down in the Great Hall."

"Well, let's get going."

"Just so you know," Salem said to Prue, "I'll be taking a look at your class tomorrow. I'll probably be tired out from bothering Phoebe."

"Tell me, Salem, do you like fleas?"

He hid himself under the folds of Phoebe's robe. 

"You can't hide from me." 

"But I can try."

"Hermione, do you know anything about the Aberdeen Witches?" Sabrina asked down in the Great Hall. 

"The Aberdeen Witches were muggle women who were accused of being witches. They were burned at the stake," Hermione supplied. 

"So that proves it," Sabrina murmured. 

"Proves what?"

"Nothing." She looked away, seeming to be miles from Hogwarts. 

Hermione waved her hand in front of Sabrina's face. "Weren't you supposed to get healed today?"

"What? Why would I need to be healed?"

"Your hangnail."

"Oh, that. I'll get that taken care of." She went up to the teacher's table, where Leo was talking with the girls. "Uncle Leo, I got another hangnail."

"Again?" He healed it. 

"Yeah. I should probably put a spell on my finger." She tried to twist her finger around so that it would point at itself, but that was impossible. "Ah. I see that the laws of physics do apply today."

"Here." Piper placed a spell on her finger. "That should help."

"Thanks." 

"She's acting so strangely today," Hermione said to Ron and Harry. 

"Who?"

"Sabrina. She's so out of it." She watched Sabrina as she talked with her aunts. It was odd that anything could bother Sabrina. Whatever it was, it had to be serious. "I wonder what it could be."

"Ask her."

"I will."

"Oh, what am I supposed to do about my quizmaster?" Sabrina asked. The sisters almost fell over. 

"You've met your quizmaster?" Paige asked incredulously. "And you didn't tell us?"

"Well, I didn't really get a chance yesterday. What kind of tests do I have to pass?"

"The first test that most wandless witches have to pass is a test to get your witch's permit. However, you don't have to deal with that. You've already proven that you're worthy. You will, though, have to work on your witch's license. That includes solving the family secret and passing an elements test," Prue said. 

"And you'll have to pass an ethics test," Paige put in.

"And you'll have to fight Voldemort," Phoebe said.

"What?"

"Just kidding. Don't worry about it. Your quizmaster will show up again and start to teach you. Here, you'll need this." She handed her a book that was shaped like a hand. "It's a handbook."

"A handbook?"

"Yeah. Study it carefully. Now go eat breakfast."

Sabrina went back to the table. Sighing, she put her head down. "I would gladly give up my powers now."

* * * *

Sabrina and Hermione walked down the hall past a bunch of guys. Sabrina caught a few of their comments. "Phoebe Halliwell is hot!"

"And that Piper…"

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Now my mother is the object of desire for all the horny boys here."

"She is a pretty woman."

"I never thought I'd see the day where I had to compete with my mother for boys." She stopped at the ladder. "What if she has something weird set up?"

"You know that she can't be any worse than Trelawney."

"We'll just see about that. You get to magical ruins."

"They're ancient runes," she corrected. 

"Whatever." She climbed up into the room. 

The room was quite different. It was far brighter, and a few windows were open. There were no odd tapestries hanging around. It looked almost normal. Sabrina sat down and waited for Phoebe to appear. 

"Good morning, class." Phoebe walked in. she was wearing a typical robe, but it was parted to reveal that she was wearing jeans and a halter. "I am Professor Halliwell. Your former… 'teacher' informed me that you have learned how to read tea leaves, crystal balls, and planet patterns. Personally, I hold no stock in those methods. You can only see into the future if you have the power of precognition. However, all people can usually sense things about people or things. That is what I will be teaching you about. I will also teach you how to look at the present to predict the future. On the tables, you will find various potion bottles and scrying crystals." 

Whew. Phoebe wasn't going to do anything unusual. With a lighter heart, Sabrina picked up one of the bottles.

"In order to sense what these were used for, you must relax and concentrate directly on the object. Block out all other distractions. Let the answer come to you. Likely only one of you will be able to specify the use. For the rest of you, you'll probably just be able to sense the purpose of the potion or search. Trust the first thing that comes to you. It's usually right. Except if you think about the pointlessness of Divination. Yes, I did feel that. Now get started."

Sabrina concentrated. A vision came to her immediately. "This is the one that they used to block her empath power when they first got their powers." A label appeared on the bottle. She was right. 

"This is impossible. We don't have your powers," Ron complained. 

"Just try to be a little more perceptive." 

"Sabs, you're talking to Ron," Harry reminded her. 

"Hey, I can be perceptive," Ron protested. 

"Oh yeah? Well then who has a crush on you?" she challenged. _Hermione would kill me. Good thing she's not here. _

Ron stared at her blankly. 

"Exactly." Her gaze fell upon a few boys who were checking Phoebe out. It was disgusting. "That is so wrong."

"What?"

She motioned towards the boys. "She's old enough to be their mother." 

"She doesn't look it, though."

"Well, she may not look older or like a mother, but that doesn't change the fact that she is. I'm just glad that I have my boyfriend." After Cho's opening performance yesterday, she really liked the sound of that word. She had a boyfriend, and she didn't need Harry for anything other than a friend. 

That would have been a lot more believable if he hadn't been sitting right next to her. Those wonderful eyes… _Stay on topic! _she ordered herself. "And all this is fueled by the fact that she's technically single."

"Technically?"

She stared at him. "You have got to be kidding me."

"What?"

"You've been around my mother all your life. You must have noticed that she's totally in love with someone."

"No. Phoebe's in love with someone?"

"Hmm. Maybe she hides it better than I think she does." She thought about it. "But the certain someone she's in love with can barely hide himself. You should have at least seen that."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Sabrina," Harry said. 

"You men are all the same. You're all completely oblivious when it comes to love." She shook her head. "It's sad when the women are the only ones who are making an effort."

"If you'd stop talking in riddles and just tell us who it is…"

"I don't think I will. Maybe your curiosity will make you at least a little more perceptive."

"Are you bashing men, Sabs?" Salem hopped up onto the table. 

"No. I'm bashing their perceptibility. There's a difference. Are you here to ruin mom's class?"

"Not at all. I'm merely here to learn."

"Do you want to see if world domination is in your future?"

He purred. 

Sabrina closed her eyes. "I see a… bath in your future."

"You wouldn't."

"You're getting more and more like a cat, Salem."

"What do you expect? I'm going to be trapped like this for a long time." He sighed. "They completely overreacted. I would have made a wonderful ruler of Earth."

"You have a good imagination." _Well, at least there are some things that lighten this life up. Salem can be annoying, but he sure is entertaining. _

A premonition caught her off guard. She breathed in sharply and watched the images fly into her head. She saw Harry – no, that couldn't be Harry. He didn't have a scar. It was a young James. He was with Sirius, Peter, and Remus in the very room that Sabrina was now in. Phoebe, Piper, and Lily were sitting at another table. James was admiring Lily while Sirius admired Phoebe. 

"Padfoot, you know you're never going to get her. She's caught up on Cole," vision Remus said. 

"I can fix that."

Sabrina opened her eyes and looked down at the mystery potion bottle in her hand. "A love-lessening potion," she said in a shaky voice. 

_Love-lessening, _the label read. 

"How did this get in here?" Phoebe said and plucked the bottle out of Sabrina's hands. "I used that on Todd back when we were in school. Is that what you saw?"

"Yes," she muttered. It seemed that her mother loved Sirius a lot more than she had originally thought. 

* * * * 

That afternoon, they had their first History of Magic lesson of the year. Sabrina knew exactly what to expect with Prue. She would teach everything by the book, and she would probably assign tons of homework. That was who Prue was. She didn't have to look out for any surprises with Prue.

So she strode into the classroom with confidence. 

"This year," Prue began, "you will be learning about more recent events in magic's history and how those events have impacted both our world and the muggle's world. Today, we will look at how extremist groups that were founded during the Dark Age of magic have survived until today and interfere in the lives of muggles."

This was exactly what Sabrina had expected. _At least one of my aunts is predictable. _Prue, like with the other sisters, was better than the teacher she had replaced. Prue's voice wasn't monotone. It had different pitches to it, and it carried. She had taken notes with Binns, but she had always struggled against the pull of sleep. As a result, much of her notes had nonexistent words mixed in. Thank God magic could always fix that up so that she could understand what she had attempted to say. But now that Binns had moved onto the afterlife, she could take notes safely. 

"There are numerous examples of magic intruding on the lives of muggles throughout their history. The most important ones would be those that include military weaponry. Occasionally, muggles have stumbled across these technologies on their own. More often, extremist groups feed the weapons to them in order to wipe muggles out. The effects of those occasions are disastrous. The most well known weapon that was given to the muggle government of the United States was the atomic bomb." Their attention was drifting away. "This bomb was triggered by a disguised spell. It was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II." The moment was perfect. She cast the spell. 

There was a huge explosion. All the students sat straight up. Prue snickered. She had cast a spell that turned the chalkboard into something that resembled a TV screen. The image, though, was 3D and lifelike, as was the noise. Because of that, the bomb's explosion was almost deafening. She let them take it in, then quieted the image. 

"Not all muggles in the area died immediately. For some, the pain was long and drawn out." The screen flicked to images of the aftermath. "A devastating event for all. So far, the bomb hasn't been used again by muggles, but several countries have them. Magic couldn't fix things that time." The faces were no longer bored. She actually had their attention. "But I digress. The Americans thought that they had created the technology. In fact, the spells were created by Justinius Montgomery." An image of Montgomery appeared on the screen. "He was an open supporter of muggle extermination. He led the extreme group called Striga, though he didn't found it." Images continued to flash on the screen. "As the Striga was formed in the beginning of the Dark Ages, muggles thought that the Striga was a group of witches who, in the way of the succubus, seduced men and then killed them. Actually, the group of witches and wizards used simple spells to lure muggles to their death. The Striga later formed what the muggles refer to as the Black Market. They still supply weapons and other illegal things to muggles. The Ministry and the muggle governments continue their efforts to catch the Striga, but none have been successful. For now, the Cleaners, who we'll look at later, take care of the exposure." The last images showed the known followers of the Striga. 

The class was blown away. They had never had such a realistic lesson. 

"Any questions?"

*Wow. None of my aunts are predictable. And I though Aunt Prue was for sure.*

"Sabrina, your family is amazing," Hermione said.

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that."


	4. Truth and Consequences

A/N: thanks, Phoenix5143, for reviewing. The voices will be explained later on. Oh, and info about Snape will be revealed here. Sabrina is just as curious about him. Just so you know, I don't hate Leo. He's getting bashed here, but it's because Chris has trouble with him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Every day was exactly like the last. Chris always knew what to expect. Occasionally, a few demons were thrown into the mix. Chris knew what to expect then, too. Wyatt and Sabrina would go after the demon, or the sisters would take care of it. Chris was the baby of the family. They acted like he couldn't take care of himself. He was used to that. It didn't mean that he accepted it readily. Maybe he would someday prove himself to them. But that wasn't likely. He would never get the chance. 

Normally, he had a hard enough time with just Wyatt and Sabrina. Now his mother and aunts were around. And Leo. It was amazing how Leo could be so close, yet never be around. Of course, that wasn't the case when it came to other people. He was always ready to help anyone except Chris. There just never seemed to be enough time for him. Leo may have been Chris's father, but only genetically. He was more a father to Sabrina than he was to Chris. 

Letters. Those damn letters. The ones that Leo wrote to try to make it seem like he cared about Chris. He didn't, and it showed in his letters. Chris always wanted to tear them up, but he never did. He kept them for reasons unknown to even him. It certainly wasn't because he liked Leo at all. He hated Leo. 

Was it wrong to hate his own father? He had given him life, but that was about all. Chris just couldn't see him as anything other than some whitelighter who just happened to be related to him. He was bitter when it came to Leo, but he knew that he had every right to hate Leo. He had no obligations when it came to Leo. That sort of thing was a two way street, and Leo sure as hell wasn't walking that street. 

It was interesting how different they were. Leo was so open, yet double faced. Leo was a paradox. He was so kind, but so cruel. He never forgot a thing, but he always forgot Chris. He was a loving father, but he had abandoned Chris without ever leaving. Chris was closed to outside world. No force could open him up. He embittered, spiteful, and dismal. That was how Leo had made him. Perhaps Leo was more of a father to him than he realized. Through his actions, he had shaped Chris. And then he had broken him. Without even trying, he had broken Chris and he had no guilt, no regrets. And people praised him for his kindness. They adored him for his unending compassion. How compassionate had he been when he allowed Chris to get in harm's way while he protected Wyatt? How kind had he been when he had taken Wyatt on a father/son outing and had left Chris behind? At least Leo acted like Chris could take care of himself. 

Once again, he was allowing his mother to pick out the good things about a situation. She didn't even have to be there for that to happen. He was so used to it that he suddenly found himself doing it for her. That would have seemed like success to Piper. To him, it was failure. He wanted to see Leo in the worst possible light because no one else would. No, to them he was a top whitelighter. He had to be wonderful. He had to be so nice. People were easily deceived by a few kind gestures. Chris knew that deep down, Leo was a heartless man. He had seen the true Leo, and God help him, he wished that he could believe what everyone else believed. But he couldn't because Leo kept showing him the truth. The truth hurt, but Leo hurt more. 

Piper had always been there for him. She had attempted to make up for Leo's failures, but it wasn't the same. Chris had wanted both his parents. He had known that Wyatt got to have both of them, so why couldn't he? That was back when he didn't understand the situation. He had bought what Leo had told him. He had been foolish enough to believe his lies. Piper had supported Leo's deceit by making excuses. She would tell Chris that Leo was busy helping the Order. He was off helping everyone else. Answering machine kind of stuff: hello, I'm not here. I'm off saving the world. Please leave a message. 

And he had. He had written back to Leo. He had the delusion then that Leo actually cared about him and that someday, there would be time for him. But as someday never came, Chris started to see the truth. As he became a stranger to his father, he began to realize that it had all been a glaring lie. Leo didn't give a damn. That was a hell of a realization for a nine-year-old. 

Now, he hated Leo and loved his mother. At least she had tried. Leo had just given up. Leo, the one who had fought to be with Piper and to have Wyatt, threw in the towel and killed all of Chris's hopes. Hope was a wasted emotion. It never got anyone anything. It most certainly never got Chris anything, other than harsh disappointment, that is. Disappoint, though, now that was something. It made Chris stronger. It made him feel the pain less. It shielded him from his father, and it kept him from falling victim to false hope. 

But what about the other people in his life? Wyatt was the one who always came to mind right after Leo. He and Leo were quite alike. Wyatt was kind, but he didn't have the double side that came along with Leo. His traits were genuine and pure. If he had a dark part of himself, Chris never saw it. Wyatt protected Chris when Leo didn't. He helped him while Leo was off somewhere else. Wyatt was so perfect. He was powerful, he was handsome, and he was good at Quidditch. There was nothing that Wyatt couldn't do. Chris tried so hard not to hate him for that, but the hatred crept up on him and wouldn't let him go. He didn't show his hatred for Wyatt. He channeled it through his hatred for Leo. That's how he got his release. It was okay to hate Leo. It wasn't okay to hate Wyatt. 

Ah, and then there was Sabrina. Sabrina was born flawed. Her father was evil. Cole had given up a life with Phoebe and Sabrina in order to pursue power. Chris sometimes understood his desire for power. Chris didn't want to be evil, but he could relate. Still, Sabrina had overcome that. She was smart, good at Quidditch; she had nice friends, a boyfriend. Yeah, she had it all worked out. The fact that she was able to overcome so much was what turned Chris against her. Plus there was the fact that she was constantly trying to reach out to him. Who did she think she was? He didn't need her help and he most certainly did not want it. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? Why they all just leave him alone?

'They' incorporated his aunts as well. Aunt Phoebe was the one who fought Leo whenever he ran off. She did that for two reasons: she loved Chris and she wanted to make sure that he had a father. She knew how difficult it was to not have a father. All the sisters did. Aunt Paige didn't fight with Leo because he was too dear to her. The sisters respected Leo. They tried so hard to change him. Even Aunt Prue tried to do that. But Leo wasn't going to change. He was the way he was, and that was that. The Power of Four couldn't change his ways, but they tried. 

Chris had been so enwrapped in his thoughts that he hadn't been aware of the fact that he getting ready. He found that he was on his way to the Great Hall. He often started off his day by thinking about his family, especially Leo. No matter how much he hated him, Chris still wanted to bring some closure to the situation. It didn't make him hate any less. That he was grateful for. He could make up for that weakness.

He reached the Great Hall and faced another pointless day. 

* * * *

Meowing. Someone was meowing in Sabrina's ear. _Meow. _Was that Salem? _Meow. _No, he didn't like to meow. _Meow. _But then again, he was becoming more like a cat. There was only one way to know for sure. She opened her eyes, which perhaps was a mistake, for the sight that she saw surprised her greatly. She clutched her chest and tried to control her breathing. In front of her, there was a Hello Kitty clock. 

Hello Kitty? (**A/N: I don't know if Hello Kitty clocks meow, but they do here.**)

She blinked a few times, and then hit the snooze button. The incessant meowing stopped, but it was replaced by a more annoying voice. 

"Oh, good morning, good morning! It's time to start the day! Oh, good morning, good morning to you!" Salem's voice sang. He had didn't have a singing voice at all. Sabrina reached out to rip the clock out of the wall, but she remembered that it wouldn't be working if it weren't magically charged. 

 So she instead tried to zap it. 

"I don't think so!" the clock cackled. "I'm impervious to your hocus pocus!"

"Then try a freeze," she muttered and flicked her fingers. It stopped at last. "He is so dead." 

Salem shivered suddenly on Paige's bed. "I think Sabrina just found my surprise."

"How do you know?" Paige asked. 

"Because it feels like someone just set up my grave."

"I believe the phrase is 'someone walked over my grave'."

"No, she's skipping that step. I gave her a Hello Kitty alarm clock so that I could bother you and her at the same time."

"That's very efficient."

"Yeah, but she won't appreciate it. No one understands my work," he said dramatically. 

"They don't understand your work? I'm appalled. They can't see your greatness."

"Aw, thanks, Paige." He thought about it. "Are you being sarcastic?"

"No. Of course not."

"Good. Then you'll carry the greatness to your class. Yours is going to be the most exciting."

"Was that sincere?"

"Of course it was."

"Then I will carry you. But you are not to butt in with your own crazy tales, okay?"

"I promise." Under his breath he said, "I'll just tell the true ones."

Paige pretended that she hadn't heard and orbed to the Great Hall. She was rather far from there, so it was okay to cheat. 

"Where were you?" Piper asked. 

"Salem held me up. He stole my robes. That's quite an accomplishment for someone who had to drag them away with his mouth."

"Couldn't you just summon them?"

"I did. But his teeth caused a few holes that I first had to find, then fix."

Salem was too busy wolfing down his food to notice that they were talking about him. 

"You know, Salem, that food isn't going to run away," Prue said bemusedly. 

"It's transported here magically. You never know how magic is going to affect food."

"So why do you eat it?" Phoebe asked. 

"What kind of a question is that?" What was he going to do, waste the food? He shook his head. Sometimes he couldn't figure those sisters out. 

"Salem, how did you get a hold of a magical Hello Kitty clock?" Sabrina had found him, and she didn't look at all pleased. 

"Magical Hello Kitty clock? They don't exist," he responded.

"Cool as cucumber, eh?" she said. 

"Well, I do try."

"I can't believe that you could annoy me so much without even being there. You never cease to amaze me."

"Then I'm doing my job well. You know how boring it is to be a cat? You guys spice it up." 

"Wow. I didn't realize that you could mix in seemingly genuine emotion. Don't get into that. The last time we got all lovey-dovey, we turned into a sitcom." That was an experience that she didn't wish to repeat. "Mom, are you going to tell me what happened to Snape?" 

"Not here, while everyone can hear us."

She froze everyone. "Better? And why can't anyone else hear? Did you kill him?"

"No."

"Did you put him in Azkaban?"

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"Sabs, that's not your business," Phoebe said. "That's between Snape and St. Mungo's."

"St. Mungo's? The hospital? What did you do to him?"

"We didn't do anything to him. Look, once Snape returns to his usual self, he won't eager to tell you anything."

"Usual self? Is this psychological?"

"You're never going to guess it."

"Then just tell me. I'm dying of curiosity."

"But I thought that Snape was your worst enemy."

"Know thy enemy."

"And his weaknesses too, right?"

"Tell me. Is it physical leading to psychological, psychological leading to physical, or both at the same time?"

"Both physical and psychological."

"Phoebe," Prue scolded. 

"What? She's not going to stop until she has some clues."

"And all I ask for are clues. Short term or long term?"

"Shor-"

"He was attacked by a Death Eater. Some of the spells did physical damage, which has already been healed, and the other spells damaged his psyche, resulting in a complete change of personality," Paige interrupted. 

"Paige!" the three other sisters chorused. 

"You weren't supposed to tell her," Piper said. 

"What's the harm?" 

"Thank you, Aunt Paige. You're my favorite now."

"Let's see how long that lasts."

Sabrina went back to her seat feeling satisfied and unfroze the room. 

* * * *

Defense Against the Dark Arts. This would be the third class that involved an aunt. Chris went into the room with his usual emotional shield up. He never let it down. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He let it down around Hagrid. Hagrid was the only one who he felt he could talk to. Hagrid listened to Chris. He didn't judge; he just listened. Chris actually trusted him. 

"Chris, you're the first one here," said Paige.

He shrugged. He didn't talk much to anyone other than Hagrid. 

_There he goes again. _She didn't understand Chris. That was because he didn't let her understand him. She often wondered if he hated her too. Phoebe's empathy didn't work very well on him. He had an intense block. He was pretty powerful when it came to that. She knew that until he opened up, they wouldn't be able to tell just how powerful he was. 

The rest of class soon arrived. 

"Good morning, class. Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm Professor Halliwell and I will be teaching you how to handle any threat, including demons."

"And I am Salem, her assistant."

"Ignore him." She stepped in front of him. "In light of the current situation with Voldemort-"

Most of the class flinched. 

"I'll be focusing on demons and Death Eaters. Those are Voldemort's favorite followers."

They again flinched, which bothered Paige.

"But before that, we apparently have something else to deal with. I noticed that you all flinched when I said his name. That simply won't do. Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself. A very wise man once said that. You cannot face any dark threats until you can speak his name. I will not teach you until every single person can hear and say his name."

They were shocked. She wouldn't teach them until they could say his name? That was unheard of. What kind of teacher was she? She didn't seem very suitable. 

One of the students raised her hand. 

"Yes?"

"Well, no one else has ever required that we say You-Know-Who's name."

"I know who? I do?" She smiled. "Look, Voldemort has built his little empire on fear. Fear is the greatest dark force. There is no force more powerful than fear. But in order to face your problems, you have to get over your fear." She turned and wrote 'tromedlov' on the board. "Now, do you fear this?"

They shook their heads. 

"And why not?"

"It's a nonsense word."

"Say it out loud." 

They all did. 

"Good. You just said Voldemort."

They were even more confused. 

"It's Voldemort spelled backwards," Chris said. 

"That's right. Even though it was backwards, it was still Voldemort. It's just a name. It's a few letters thrown together. Actually, it's part of an anagram. This isn't very well known, but it's true." She erased the word and wrote 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'. "Say it." 

They again obeyed her. 

"You just said Voldemort again. Mind you, it's part of a whole sentence, but it's still there. Here, watch." She rearranged the letters. It now read 'I am Lord Voldemort'. "That's how he got his name. I guess that's what he does in his free time." 

They were shocked again. She was making jokes about the Dark Lord. 

"I don't think that's funny. He killed so many people."

"Yeah, he did. My grandmother, my mother, my father, my sister's best friend… He's an evil man. But it's easier to face fear with humor," Paige responded. "Since I can't whoop his ass, that is."

And she swore. 

"Oh, sorry about that. Anyways, can anyone say it?" 

"Voldemort," Chris said in an off-handed way. 

"Good. Anyone else?"

No one else volunteered. 

"Come on. It's just a word. You'll never get over your fear of him if you can't say his name. Anyone?"

"V-Voldemort," a Gryffindor girl said. 

"Very good." 

"Voldemort's a pushover. I could have ruled him," Salem declared. 

"Like I said before, ignore Salem. He thinks that he could have taken over the world. He's a little crazy."

"I didn't come here to be offended," Salem said indignantly. 

"Why did you come here?"

"To share my knowledge."

The class was rather interested in Salem. They had never seen a talking cat before. 

"How can he talk?"

"He was a wizard, but he got turned into a cat because he tried to take over Earth. He wouldn't have succeeded, but better safe than sorry."

Salem pouted at that comment.

"Anyways, I want you to practice saying Voldemort. I won't be satisfied until every person in this room can say his name." 

They were all strongly reminded of Mad-Eye.  

"That's your homework tonight. Have a good day," she said as the bell rang. They filed out with mixed feelings. "How did I do, Salem?"

"You know they're not all going to be able to say it." 

"Once I get through with them, they'll be singing his name."

"You have very high hopes."

"I know what I'm doing."

"You had better. Did you do that with all your classes?"

"Yes, I did. This class was particularly bad, though. Only two people. Next we're facing the sixth years."

"Oh good. You'll have three people."

"I hope more."

"What's the best so far?"

"Four."

"Yikes."

"I know. I'm going to get through to them, though."

"You've got high hopes, you've got high hopes, you've got high in the sky apple pie hopes," Salem sang. Paige clapped her hands over her ears. 

"Ahhh! Make it stop!"

"You're all critics." 

"Whom did you learn this stuff from?"

"It's a what. I listened to the muggle radio over the summer."

"Remind me to incinerate that thing."

The next class came in. 

"Let's get this show on the road."

* * * *

"You know, I really like being a teacher," Paige commented that evening at dinner. "I don't know why I didn't do it before. It's like I was made for this job. It comes so easily."

"Yeah, I'm acting getting attached to my position, too," Prue admitted. "I can make history interesting. What about you two?"

"I don't like Divination, but teaching is okay."

"I actually enjoy teaching Potions. Even when things explode. That temporal stasis is pretty handy when that happens."

"And we haven't been attacked at all," Phoebe said. "Uh oh. I hope I haven't jinxed us."

"Superstitions? Bah. You would have to summon the demon for it to come," Piper said. But she knocked on wood anyways. 

"What was that then?"

"You can never be too safe."

Suddenly, something broke through the window. Piper leapt up and froze it, but only the glass shards stayed put. The being came through the window. Paige orbed everyone else out of the room while Prue closed the door tightly with her telekinesis. 

Sabrina was confused. What had happened? "She orbed me out." Everyone else was too involved to notice as she shimmered back into the room. Wyatt and Chris orbed in too. 

"You three get-" Piper ducked as the Cian Master threw a nasty fireball at her. "Get out!"

They ignored her and attacked the Cian Master. Not even Wyatt's powers did any damage. Still, the Cian Master couldn't do anything if they kept attacking him. As he was retreating, he used one his more rare powers. 

A jet of white light flew from his hand towards Chris. Sabrina recognized it immediately and knocked Chris down. The light got her instead. And then the Cian Master was gone. 

So was Sabrina. 

**A/N: I love writing cliffhangers. Review and I will tell you exactly what happened. **


	5. Survival of the Fittest

**A/N: thanks to Phoenix5143 (you're probably going to regain your curiosity as this continues) Caitlin, and Melissa for reviewing. Yah! *Confetti drops down from the ceiling* Melissa, you're absolutely right. I did get my chapter titles from the Charmed books. Good job!**

Sabrina's head was pounding. With great difficulty, she opened her eyes and sat up. She was in the Underworld, that was for certain. She blinked away the blurriness and tried to remember what had happened. She remembered a white light hitting her. A summoning spell. It came back to her. The Cian Master had used a summoning spell, and it had gotten her instead of Chris. She was in the lair of the Cian Master. 

She examined what was keeping her in. Several other spells were wrapped around her, forming a very small prison. _This won't keep me._ She tried an energy ball. It bounced off the wall of spells and came back at her. She quickly dove out of the way. _Well, that didn't work. I doubt I'll be able to shimmer, but I should try_. She had been right in her assumption. 

"You can't get out of there, Sabrina." It was the Cian Master.

"Why do you want me?" she asked as she got up and brushed the dust off herself. 

"I want your powers. I know you're not the most powerful, but I was unable to capture Christopher."

"Since when is Chris the most powerful?"

"He isn't, at least not in terms of active power."

"So why do you want him? Wyatt is the 'twice blessed' child."

"Ah, but Christopher has great potential, though he does have a long way to go." 

"But you're not going after him again, right?" she asked hopefully. 

"You were never my goal. You're just an added bonus."

"Stay away from him."

"You can't protect him this time."

"Yes, I can and I will."

"You seem to assume that I will keep you alive. Once I take your powers, I'll kill you."

"And when will you be doing that?"

"Right now." He began to mutter a spell.

"Oh no you don't!" She tried a couple of spells. The cage that was holding her disappeared. "That worked well." She still couldn't shimmer, though. What was going on?

"That was my doing," the Cian Master said. 

"Well, why?"

"I can't steal your powers with a spell. I expanded your cage so that I could physically take them." 

She started to kick him, but he caught her foot. 

"Your mother taught you well. Not well enough, though." He grabbed her neck and lifted her into the air. His nails pressed against her skin. Blood started to run down onto his hands. 

Sabrina's eyes rolled back in her head. She couldn't breathe. The air was leaving her, and so were her powers. If she could lash out… But she was too weak. 

Suddenly, a man appeared behind the Cian Master. He attacked the Cian Master, who dropped Sabrina to the ground. She gasped for breath and lay helpless on the ground. Mystery man pulled out a potion bottle. The Cian Master didn't like that at all. He shimmered out. The unidentified man came over to Sabrina. She tried to keep her eyes open, but they shut. She was about to pass out when her wounds healed. She opened her eyes and jumped away from the man.  

"Are you all right?" he asked. He was rather handsome. He was tall and he had sandy hair and storm-gray eyes. Sabrina definitely didn't recognize him at all. 

She formed an energy ball. "Stay away from me."

"I'm not here to hurt you, Sabrina. I just saved your life."

"Well I seem to be a rare commodity tonight. If you don't mind..." She shimmered back to Hogwarts. Moments later, the man orbed into the room. "What the-"

"I'm a whitelighter."

"Okay… Uncle Leo!"

"Sabrina, don't. I can't deal with him right now."

"Too bad." 

Leo orbed in. "Sabrina!"

"Yes, it is I. I'm fine. This dude saved me. He says that he's a whitelighter."

"You just saw me orb," the man said. 

"Maybe you stole that ability." 

"Who are you?" Leo interrupted their argument.

"Drew Perry. I'm from the future." 

"You're from the future. Right. This has been a very long day. I think I'll go find mom and then I'm going to take a long shower." She shimmered to her mother. 

"Oh, Sabrina!" Phoebe wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Thank God you're okay." 

"Where's Chris?" Sabrina asked immediately. 

"I'm right here. Er… thanks for saving my life." He was fine. She sighed in relief.

"It was nothing." 

Drew and Leo orbed into the room. 

"You stay away from me." She backed away from Drew. 

"Leo, who the hell is this?" Phoebe asked. 

"Drew Perry. He's from the future and he's a whitelighter." 

"I'm here to help you." 

"We'll see about that. Chris, Wyatt, go to the common room," Piper ordered them. 

"But-"

She looked at them sternly. They orbed out reluctantly. 

"Well, future boy, what do you have to help us with?" Prue questioned him. 

"I can't tell you the exact details."

"Oh, that's just too wonderful. Are you here to protect Chris?" It seemed logical to Sabrina.

He looked confused. "No."

"He seems to need it. Aunt Piper, the Cian Master apparently thinks that Chris is the most powerful. He says that he has a lot of potential. Do you know anything about this?" she asked Drew. 

"The Cian Master wants Wyatt, not Chris."

"But he told me-"

"He was holding you captive. Maybe he just wanted you to get the wrong idea," said Phoebe. 

"You didn't know where I was. You couldn't have gotten to me before he took my powers and killed me. I would have taken the secret to the grave."

"We would have gotten to you somehow."

"No, you couldn't have. Drew?"

"You're right about that, but I know for a fact that the Cian Master wants Wyatt."

"Fine. Think what you want, but I'm going to follow my instincts."

"We'll protect Chris as much as we will Wyatt," Piper said. 

"But you'll have your mind set on Wyatt. It makes a difference. I know that Wyatt is the most powerful. I fully realize that. But all my life, I have seen how you all concentrate on Wyatt. Chris has a whole lot of power, and I'm afraid that you're starting to forget about him. Chris is very powerful and he does have a lot of potential. Just make sure that you help him develop those powers."

"Sabrina, this has been a stressful day. We all need to calm down," Phoebe tried again.  

"Mom, you taught me to trust my instincts. I'm not going to ignore what I know. Aunt Piper, this time Chris is in more danger. I'm sure of it. And I will protect Chris with my life." She shimmered to the dorm. 

"Maybe I should go talk to her."

"No, let her go. We'll talk to her in the morning. But now…" Prue turned on Drew. "Exactly who are you, Drew?"

"Anything I tell you could drastically change the future."

"Aren't you here to change the future?"

"Yes." 

"Let's cut the crap here," Paige spoke. "This has been a significantly difficult day. How are you connected to us?"

"What makes you think that I am?"

"Why would you bother to save Sabrina if you weren't?"

"I'm a whitelighter. It's what I do."

"It can't be that simple. It never is."

"It is this time. I have to protect all of you or the Power of Four will die." 

"I see," Phoebe said. 

"You're an empath, Phoebe. You can tell if I'm telling the truth." 

"There are potions that can block my power."

"You're going to have to trust me then."

"Trust you? We don't even know you." Prue definitely wasn't going to trust this newcomer from the future.  

"You know me better than you think."

"Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. Let's just get off that subject. Look, you're fine here, so if you don't mind…"

"I don't think so, mister." Piper went up to him. "You're staying right here in Hogwarts. We are going to keep a very close eye on you. But first, I think we should tell Dumbledore about you. Let's go." She led him out of the room and to Dumbledore's office. 

"Déjà vu all over again," Drew muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

In the common room, Chris and Wyatt were bombarding Sabrina with questions. 

"Who is this that guy?" Chris asked. 

"I have no idea. He's from the future. He could be anybody."

"So you don't think that he's really who he says he is?" 

"I don't know. He could be, but chances are equally likely that he isn't."

"Is he a full whitelighter?" Wyatt asked. 

"I suppose so. He healed me." 

"What happened in the Cian Master's lair?" Chris asked. 

"Your mother doesn't want you to know."

"So it concerns me."

"Yes, it does, but I'm not going to give you any details."

"Oh, come on, Sabrina."

"Don't badger her, you two," Hermione scolded. "Sabrina, thank God you're okay. We were so worried. How did you get out?"

"I'll tell you up in the dorm." 

Back in Dumbledore's office, the sisters were trying to figure everything out. 

"Do we know you? In the past, that is. I mean, present. Future, maybe?" Phoebe was getting herself all confused. She really hated time travel. 

"If I tell you-"

"Yeah, yeah. Screwed up future. We don't want it."

"Mr. Perry, wait outside. I'd like to talk to the sisters," Dumbledore said. Drew nodded and orbed out. 

"So you have a visitor from the future." 

"Yes. He saved Sabrina, so maybe he's good, but maybe he's just trying to make us think that," Phoebe said. 

"What should we do with him?" Piper asked. 

"Keep him here at Hogwarts. I see no danger in him being here. And if he does turn out to be trouble, I'm certain that you four will be able to handle him easily."

"Do you think that he could have stolen the whitelighter ability?" Paige asked. 

"It's possible that that could happen in the future. However, the powers that he has will not threaten you. You can handle it. By the way, you four did a very nice job earlier. Orbing everyone out of the Great Hall… keeping the doors shut… you girls have very nice reflexes. You're just as full of energy now as you were back when you were younger." He smiled. 

During their days at Hogwarts, the sisters had often fought with demons. They had also done exceptionally well in school. Paige and Phoebe had caused a lot of trouble together, though. They had both been the Marauders' groupies. Phoebe had dated James, but after she had met Cole, there had been no other guy. She hadn't even given Sirius a second look. Paige had dated Remus, Sirius, and James. That hadn't pleased Prue and Piper at all. But both Phoebe and Paige had grown up eventually. 

 "Now that that's settled, I'd like to speak with Drew."

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes." 

The sisters left. "He wants to talk to you," Prue told him. He went back into the office that he was quite familiar with. 

"So you're calling yourself Drew Perry, eh?" Dumbledore said once the door had closed. 

"What do you mean?" How could Dumbledore know who he was?

"Christopher, you may be using a glamour spell, but I can clearly see who you are. I've been dealing with all kinds of magic all my life. It's quite easy for me to see through spells." 

"Are you going to tell my mother?"

"No. It would be a shock, and I realize that if you're going to do what you have to do, you need to be unknown. Why have you come back?"

"The future's a mess. My brother… well, he's trapped in the Other Realm. His evil twin took over."

"Ah, that difficult family secret."

Drew nodded. "And in my past, Sabrina died on this day. The Power of Three was destroyed." 

"So you came back to change all that. Good luck. I'll make sure that no one here stonewalls you." 

"Thanks." 

* * * *

Sabrina was steaming. Positively steaming with anger. She stared at Harry and Cho, white-hot fury pulsing through her. Her teeth were clenched together. Her hands pressed down against the table. How could he do this? She had also most died. Didn't he even want to be near her? Okay, so she had kind of left out the part about all the danger, as she hadn't wanted him to think that she was a damsel in distress. She could stand on her own. She didn't need Harry Potter. Still she kept her focus locked on them. They were sitting together for breakfast. How special. 

Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. They had never seen Sabrina seething with so much hatred. "Sabs, are you okay?" Hermione ventured.

"I'm fine. I'm great! I'm so wonderful, it's not even funny." She didn't even look at Hermione. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the one who was hurting her so much. She hated him so much right now. 

"Are you feeling a little angry?" 

"No. What makes you say that?"

"Well, for one, you have hot hands." She pointed to the table. Sabrina lifted her hand and found that scorch marks had created under her hands. She had been forming an energy ball unconsciously. "In addition, you're practically growling."

"If I were angry, why would I be angry? Hmm? Answer me that." 

"It's obvious that he's hurting you. And you're right to be hurt. He's being insensitive to your feelings," Hermione said. 

"The word 'he' is a very vague pronoun. Could you possibly expand upon that for clarity?" 

Sabrina was very sharp when she was angry. That gave it away even more. "Sabrina, you know who I'm talking about."

"If it's so obvious, then Ron must know. Ron?" she pleasantly asked. 

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. She should have just said it. Now Sabrina was going to drag this out.

"I'm not exactly sure who, but I can see that you're pissed."

"Very eloquent, Ron," Hermione muttered. 

"So who is this mystery person, Herm?"

"Harry," Hermione said with another sigh. "You're jealous because Harry is spending time with Cho." 

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of that bimbo?" 

"That choice of words kind of gives it away," she said. 

"Wait. Sabrina, you have a crush on Harry? When did this happen?" Ron looked to Hermione.

"She has always had a crush on Harry."

"I do not have a crush on him." She was blushing. 

"The word 'him' is very broad," Hermione said, smiling. "Perhaps you should specify exactly about whom you are talking." 

Sabrina shot a look at her. She didn't take the hint. She was about to go on when Ron interrupted with, "Now that we're revealing secrets, can you tell me who has a crush on me?"

Hermione's eyes widened. She seized Sabrina's hand and manipulated it so that her power worked. "You told him?" she cried. 

"No, I just told him that someone has a crush on him. He doesn't know that it's you. I was testing his perceptibility." 

"If you tell him, I'll…"

"Herm, don't even bother to come up with an empty threat. I won't tell him until you're ready. But I think that you should really hook up with him. You two would make the cutest couple."

"I could say the same thing about you and Harry."

"I don't have a chance with Harry."

"If you told him-"

Sabrina shook her head. "There's no point. I'm like his sister."

"And you don't want to take the chance."

"No one ever wants to take the chance. But with Ron, it's absolutely certain that he likes you. He couldn't stand Krum. You know that he likes you. Make a move now before it's too late."

Hermione considered her best friend. A grin snuck onto her face. "I might just do that if you make a deal with me."

"Oh boy. What kind of a deal?"

"Well, it's a way of keeping balance in our situations. For every move I make on Ron, you have to make one move on Harry. But it has to be exactly equal." 

"Let me think about that." She paused for a split second. "No."

"I won't do anything if you don't agree," Hermione said stubbornly.

She wanted to see Hermione happy. Plus, she didn't have to actually follow through with what she promised. "Oh, all right. What happens if Harry rejects me?"

"Then you can stop and we'll work on revenge." 

"This is a side of Hermione that I don't see often." 

"When it comes to my best friend, I'll let bad Hermione out. So do we have a deal?"

"Yes, we have a deal."

Suddenly, Hermione grabbed her hands. 

"What are you doing?"

"Sealing the deal." She tapped her wand on her hand, then on Sabrina's. "I can't have you copping out, after all."

"Hermione! I was just going to lie."

"Then I am very glad that I did that." 

Scowling, Sabrina waved her hand. "Ron, you really don't want to know." She turned back to Harry and Cho. Cho was laughing. Harry was so happy with her. 

"You're just torturing yourself," Hermione said. 

"I know. But it keeps me from daydreaming." 

Drew orbed in. "Sabrina, are doing all right?"

"Yes, Mister Worrywart, I'm doing just fine. What are you still doing here?" 

"I'm not some demon. I said that I'm here to help, and I meant it."

"Well, I guess I should introduce you. Drew, these two are-"

"Ron and Hermione. I already know," he said. 

"How did you know?" 

"I… I had to study you before I came back. It was a part of the preparation."

"Where did you get the information from?" 

"Books."

"I'm in books in the future?" That was really creepy to think about. People were going to read about her in the future?

"Yes. We're… er, everyone in the future learns about the Halliwell line." He had almost slipped up. He had to be more careful.

"Oh. But I'm the demon child. Why would people write about me?"

"You're still a part of the Power of Three, regardless of your parentage. And you're a good person, Sabrina."

"Uh, you've known me for the span of a day. Less than that, actually. How can you make judgments about my character traits?" 

"History books."

"Ah. That's going to take some getting used to."

Hermione and Ron had been watching this conversation with interest. They had no idea who Drew was, but it was apparent that he was from the future. 

Sabrina noticed their looks. "Oh, Hermione, Ron, this is Drew, the one who saved me."

They nodded in recognition. 

"Why are you so worried about me, anyway?" Sabrina asked. 

"The Cian Master sees you as a big threat now. You're in his way, so you're first on his list."

"Ugh, could bring a little more sunshine into my life?"

"That's how it is." 

"Hermione, how do you do cheering charms again?" 

Drew orbed away. 

"I'll take that as an insult!" she called after him. 

"You really know how to bounce back, Sabs." 

"What else can you do?"

"Now just apply it to Harry." 

"After you make your move on that certain someone."

Hermione gave her a look. Sabrina just laughed. 

* * * *

 Prue sat in her classroom, various books grouped around her. A few of the books were closed, but most were open. She was reviewing the powers of the Cian Master. She already knew all this, but it got her mind off of the attack… and other things. The dreams were nagging at her again. For some reason, the spells weren't working against them. Shades of memories stuck in her mind. She needed a distraction. She kept seeing the faces of Mordion, Cation, Corto, Sassal, Kessalta, and Bellie. They wouldn't leave her. 

Sharp images of their dead bodies flashed across her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Leave me…_ She concentrated instead on Mordion, who had survived. Well, that's what she believed. She had only seen him become the Servant of the Reigners. He had been so torn at that time. She had felt it. She wished that she could find out where he was. She had tried so hard to find him, but she had never been successful.  

_Leader, your mind is racing. What's up? _the Rebel asked in her mind. 

_I don't know, _she said. _Everything is so mixed up right now. _

_That's how it usually is with you, _the Owl said. 

_Do you want to talk about it? _the Guide questioned. 

_Guide, you know that she never tells us anything, _the Fighter said. 

_I just wish that I could meet someone that I've only seen in my dreams, _she told them. She had had these voices with her since the age of twelve. The Owl was the one she had met first. The Owl was shy but wise. She fully embodied her title. The Rebel had come second. She was boisterous and cared about all the other voices genuinely. Next had come the Fighter. She hardly needed an explanation. She and the Rebel had a lot in common. The Guide had come last. He had easily accepted the voices and the fact that he was outnumbered by girls. He kept them together when they sometimes fought. They were quite different, but they were still deeply connected to each other. 

_A special someone? _the Rebel tried mischievously. 

_No, missy. I don't think I should get into it. You wouldn't believe it. _

_We're talking to each other through time and space. I think we could buy anything, _the Fighter snorted. 

_You can tell us anything, Leader, _the Guide told her. 

_It's like a vision. A dream vision, actually. I know that this man is real, but I don't know where he is, and I don't think that I'm going to ever find him. _

_There are some things that are out of your control, _the Owl remarked. 

_If you're sure that you can't do anything, you should let it go. But first make sure that you definitely can't find him, _the Guide said. 

_You're good at this, Guide. _Talking with the voices always made her feel better. She didn't know who they were, but she was closer to them than she was to her own sisters. She had never wished that things could be different when it came to the voices. She liked things the way they were. 

There was a light knock at the door. "Come in." 

A small girl came in timidly. She had long black hair, pale skin, and green eyes. Prue recognized her from her Gryffindor first year class. Her name was Phoenix Masterson. 

"Oh, hello, Phoenix. What's up?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could recommend any books concerning the Striga," she said. 

"I just went over that with my sixth years. As a matter of fact, I have a book all about the Striga." She fished out the book and handed it to Phoenix. "Keep it as long as you want." 

Phoenix looked down at the book. "It's your own book. Are you sure that I should borrow it?" 

"Of course. I'm a teacher. I'm supposed to spread knowledge." 

"Thank you." 

Phoenix seemed so fascinated by her. Prue was fascinated by her too. She looked like a Potter. She had hair just like James's and eyes like Lily's. She could have been their daughter. But that was impossible. Phoenix was only eleven. When she was born, they had been dead for four years. There was no way that she could be theirs. But something about a forgotten child seemed familiar. Her name added to that. Phoenix… the bird who could rise again. Who was this child? 

"Well, I should probably get going. Thanks again." She left. 

Prue continued to stare at the door. After a few moments, she shook her head and sat back. She had enough on her mind. There was no reason to find out about a child who definitely had parents that Prue didn't know. She had to just let it go. She took a deep breath and turned back to her books. 


	6. Kiss of Darkness

**A/N: thank you, anime-lover 10, Ms. Marvel, and Caitlin, for reviewing. Anime-lover, Sabrina is 16, Wyatt is 15, and Chris is 14. Caitlin, the Shadow will be revealed around the 14th chapter. Phoenix's connection won't be revealed for a while yet. This is going to be a novel length story, so it's going to take some time. **

Hermione walked into the dorm. Sabrina was sprawled on her bed. She was flicking various objects at the chalkboard at the end of her bed. Everything she threw at it came bouncing back. It had its own force field.  

"I think my mother doesn't trust that I'll actually try to solve this stupid thing," Sabrina said, frowning. 

"Well, isn't that true?"

"That's not the point. She's supposed to trust me. Force fields do not say trust. They say… don't throw things at me."

"I think most people would want that. Besides, this doesn't seem so horrible. It's a challenge."

"It's impossible, that's what it is." 

Hermione looked at the board. A picture of a birdhouse was the first thing on it. That was followed by an M, an addition sign, a fire, a heart, a subtraction sign, and an L. "It isn't impossible."

"Maybe not for you, but none of this makes sense to me. Birdhouse, mfire, and some weird twist on a heart do not make up a family secret."

"It might not be birdhouse. Maybe it's something like av… av…" She couldn't seem to get the word out. 

"What's wrong with you?"

"I can't say it."

Suddenly, Phoebe's disembodied voice announced, "Sorry, Hermione, but I knew you would talk. And Sabrina, work on the family secret."

"Can she tell me what something means?" Sabrina asked.

"No."

"What about what something is?"

"You can do that. But you can't throw things at the board." 

Sabrina mimicked her mother's tone wordlessly.

"I saw that." Her voice faded out. 

"Why is it that I must have such an odd family? You have a normal family. Your parents are dentists. My father was the Source and my mother is a Charmed One."

"You know, you complain a lot about your family."

"Don't I have good reason?"

"Perhaps, but you should just ride the waves. You'll have more fun that way."

"This coming from the girl whose idea of fun is reading a thousand page book." 

"Challenges are fun when you face them with the right attitude. Even if you don't like puzzles, you can still think of the goal. You'll get your witch's license."

"Once I pass the other tests."

As if on cue, the quizmaster popped up at that moment.

"I'm working on the family secret and I even read through the handbook," Sabrina said and held up the handbook.

"I didn't come to check on that. I'm here to start your element training," he said. He was again wearing blindingly vibrant clothes. 

"But I'm busy complaining to Hermione. Plus, I have to go meet Harvey soon. So can this wait?"

"Hey, don't pin this on me. I was just leaving," Hermione said.

"Traitor." 

Hermione smiled. "Have fun," she said as she walked out.

"Sabrina, this can't wait. You can't put your life before your magical duties."

"Is it just me, or does that word order sound wrong?"

"You fight demons all the time. You need to know this stuff."

"I need to know how to become a puddle? How would that help?"

"With water, you'd be able to avoid being seen. Fire and wind can also be used as an offensive power."

"I have enough offensive powers."

"By arguing with me, you're just wasting your own time."

"Well, it's mine to waste."

"Looks like I'm going to have a lot of fun with you."

"All right. What do you want me to do?"

"Relax. Close your eyes and imagine water. Think of its flow. Think of how it looks. Feel the water. Feel it flow through you. You're a part of the water, and now you are the water." 

"Be the ball."

"Concentrate on the water. Don't let your mind wander."

"But this is so boring."

"You're one of the most unwilling students I've ever had."

"Who else makes that list?"

"Water. You are water." 

_Water. I am not water, and I don't think I want to be water. It must feel weird being water. I wonder you have any control over your body at all. Could you control where you flow? Probably not. I don't want to lose control. Yes, I think I'll pass on that. _"Hey, what do you quizmasters do in the Other Realm?" She had a tendency to be random whenever her mind wandered. 

"Shop."

"Are you being serious?"

"Just try this."

"I'm trying. I'm not feeling it." She opened her eyes. "Maybe I should try again tomorrow. After all, it takes a while for powers to advance. I've never seen my mother or the aunts turn themselves in the elements."

"That's because you spend the majority of your time away from them."

"I'll have to see them do this element thing. Can I give up for now?"

"No."

"I promise I'll do it later. I just really have to meet Harvey. He said that it was important. We're going through this weird stage, you see. We're dating, but we're on the verge of breaking up, so we're going to discuss where we stand on this whole relationship. I like him, but I also like Harry, and I think that I'm hurting Harvey by being with him when I really want to be with Harry."

"You have a real talent for talking."

"I know. So may I?"

"Fine. But you're going to work extra hard next time. The only excuse allowed would be injury as a result of demon attack."

"No regular injuries?" She knew that she wasn't going to get any free time. She had Leo to heal her. It was interesting how she now wanted to be able to retain some injury. 

"No." He disappeared. 

"Well that's great." Sabrina slid off the bed and wandered down to the common room. She had a feeling that this was definitely the break up. Much to her own guilt, she found that didn't feel all that unhappy about it. She liked Harvey. She really did. But she couldn't let go of her desire to be with Harry, even though Cho had him tangled up in her web. In addition to her desire, there was also the minor detail of her promise to Hermione. She doubted that Hermione would do anything, but she still didn't want to do something involuntarily and end up hurting Harvey. A break up would be for the best. But she wanted Harvey to it.

Harvey was waiting there for her. "Hey, Sabrina." 

"Hi." She sat down next to him. An awkward feeling hung in the air, making the situation even more uncomfortable. Sabrina had never broken up with someone before, as Harvey had been her first boyfriend, so she didn't know what was going to happen. She just wanted this to be over. 

"Um, I know that this relationship has been kind of bumpy lately…"

"Yeah, and I know I've been distracted."

"And we haven't been doing too well as boyfriend and girlfriend."

"So it's probably best…"

"Yeah, it's for the best…"

"If we break up."

"You know, take a while off."

"I completely agree," they said in unison. 

"That was weird. Well, I guess this is it…" 

By the stairs, Hermione smiled secretively. One couple down, one more to go. Now how was she going to break up Cho and Harry? This was going to take some creativity… and perhaps some help from Phoebe. 

* * * * 

"Wait. You want me to get Cho to dump Harry? Harry is like a son to me. He's like the son I might have known, if God had granted me a son," Phoebe said. 

"What?" Hermione said. 

"Musicals aside, I love the idea." 

"But you just-"

"I was being dramatic. How long have you known me, Herm?"

Hermione assumed that that was a rhetorical question, so she didn't bother to respond. Phoebe took advantage of that and continued to talk. 

"So, what's the plan?"

"Well, that's the part where I need help. I hesitate to use spells-"

"And I don't."

"But I know that you would know this stuff because of your past. Not that you would have applied it."

"Hermione, I was a bad girl then. I did just about everything. I have a feeling that Cho will prove to be fairly easy to scare away. She does seem like the overly sensitive type, after all… The problem is, I don't want her to make a scene, lest she bring down Harry with her."

"That would be her style."

"Precisely. I think the best way to do this is to show her how trapped she is within her relationship with Harry. We'll also have to show her someone who she'd view as better… Maybe even Harvey. That way, everyone is happy."

"So we're not going to deal with Harry at all?"

"No, I think he would just suspect something. Piper is awfully protective of him. He would trace it back to her. Besides, he may turn to Sabrina on the rebound."

"We shouldn't use rebound. Sabrina wouldn't take advantage of him like that." 

"Yeah, you're right. Instead, we'll demonstrate how wonderful Sabrina is. By 'we', I of course mean you. Sabrina would just be embarrassed if I did it, and I don't think Harry would buy into it if I presented the facts."

"You're very organized, Professor."

"Professor. I like that word. So, don't worry about phase one. I'll introduce Cho to the horrors of sticking to a relationship."

"And I'll take care of Sabrina."

"How?"

Hermione explained the spell. 

"So you're going to admit your feelings to Ron?"

"For Sabrina's sake."

"It's a good deed with benefits."

"You could say that." 

Phoebe suddenly spotted trouble stirring amongst Piper, Leo, and Chris. "You take care of that. I have to go deal with this." She briskly walked over to the three people. 

"You know that he isn't after me. I should be able to do what I want to do," Chris was saying. Phoebe could feel his anger and frustration. 

"Chris, he wants to destroy the next generation of power. You're a part of that, and you shouldn't take any risks," Leo said. 

"Why the hell do you suddenly care about me?" Chris lashed out. 

"Chris! You do not talk to your father like that," Piper said sharply. 

"He is not my father." Chris was looking right into Leo's eyes. "He's Wyatt's father. He only cares about him." 

"You can't say things like that. Why have you suddenly become like this?" Piper asked. Chris had never acted like this before.  

"This isn't a sudden thing. This was a long process," Chris responded darkly. "And I don't need this anymore." He orbed out before they could say anything. 

"Piper, I can go find him," Phoebe offered. 

Piper shook her head. "He won't listen to us. Maybe he'll listen to Sabrina."

Sabrina shimmered into the room. "Hey, I'm getting pretty good at sensing when people need me. That book is turning out to be pretty handy. No pun intended." Her cheerful disposition disappeared when she saw their looks. "What is it?"

"Chris went off again. Could you go talk to him?" 

"Of course, Aunt Piper." She shimmered to the roof. That was where Chris went often. He was there, just as Sabrina had expected. 

"Go away," Chris said. He was sitting on the edge, staring down at the ground. He didn't bother to look at Sabrina as he spoke. 

"I can't let you stay out in the open, not after all the Cian Master said. Besides, I'd like to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"I think there is. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"And 'nothing' automatically translates to 'Leo'."

"I don't want to talk about him."

Sabrina heard the bitterness in his voice. "You may not want to, but you have to talk about him. I know that he hurt you."

"How could you know?" He now faced her, eyes flashing. "Are you an empath all of a sudden?" 

"No, but I know how abandonment feels," she said softly. "I know how it feels to be unwanted. I'm not going to talk about that, though. I want to know how you feel about Leo."

"I hate him." He stared to the right of her, as if he didn't want to believe that he was telling this to Sabrina.  

"Because he hurt you."

"No, just because I do. Why do you all have to analyze me? I just hate Leo!"

She could tell that he was in pain. "He's never been there for you."

"He doesn't even know me. He doesn't care." 

"Leo is a good man. If you talked to him-"

"No."

"Then maybe he could change."

"He doesn't have the time to do anything for me. He's always too busy."

"He at least writes those letters."

"He's just trying to pass himself off as a good father. He's a good father to Wyatt."

"But he isn't to you."

"Exactly."

"Chris, you have to tell him this. You can't make things any better if you keep all this bottled up. Get it out, but don't do it by yelling at him. Talk to us. Talk to him."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. It matters a lot."

"Not to Leo." 

"You haven't even properly confronted him. You make it clear that you're angry with him, but you don't let him know that it's because you feel abandoned. You mix your messages in with other things. You need to be clear."

"I don't need to do anything, and I'm not going to. The damage has already been done. There's no point in trying to change things now." He orbed away. 

Sabrina sighed. She was rather annoyed with Leo herself. This was what she had been talking about. _I should talk to Leo, even though Chris wouldn't want me to. I'll just have to stop myself from getting carried away. I tend to do that a lot. Tomorrow. I'll talk to Leo tomorrow. _She liked her uncle, and it wouldn't be easy confronting him. But she had to. "For Chris."

* * * *

_Come on, Hermione. You can do this. Just start off subtle. Mention relationships. Maybe I should start with something about the person who has a crush on him… Yeah, that would work. But I can't do this now. We're doing homework. I don't think Sabrina would appreciate it if I suddenly spouted my feelings. Then she would have to do the same, and she looks like she's concentrating pretty hard on her work. She really is going close to overload. It wouldn't be fair to her. _Hermione sighed. _I'm good at excuses, but only when it comes to Ron. This should be easy. I'm pretty sure that he likes me. But I'm not positive. What if Ron is so thick that he doesn't even realize his own feelings? No, that's not possible. He could be in denial, though. I was in denial before. Denial is such a natural response. _She was doing it again. She was thinking the situation to death. Sabrina was right about that. She overthought things. She had to be more spontaneous. 

She snuck a subtle glance at Ron. He had a nice, boyish charm about him. If he could just release some of his own potential, he could be quite a lady's man. But then Hermione would have far too much competition. She liked things as they were. Well, not really. She wanted things to be slightly different, though a jump from a friendship to relationship was not very slight. If only Ron would make a move… But Ron was the kind of guy who just floated through life. His innocent ignorance was rather appealing to Hermione. _They say that opposites attract. That's certainly true here. _

"Hermione," Ron said suddenly. 

Hermione's heart fluttered in her chest. "Yes?"

"What's the technical name for Belladonna?" 

Her raised hope plummeted back down to its original stature. "Atropa belladonna," she answered miserably. _Of course he just wanted to know something. He only sees me as a walking bloody dictionary. He doesn't even see me as a girl. I'm just Hermione to him. I'm the smart one, who makes up for his thickness. _Reason replaced her huffy reaction. _Well, what did I expect? That he would admit his innermost feelings to me while we're in the presence of half the people in Gryffindor? If he ever gets his feelings out in the open, we'll be in a private place. I just have to be patient. I'll get there eventually. _

"I'm done," Sabrina announced. "And now you may continue with your lives." She strutted upstairs. 

Hermione looked down at her parchment. She had been done for quite some time. She was just pretending to work in order to be with Ron. It was more frustrating than helpful, though. It merely showed her that which she wasn't going to acquire any time soon. She sat back and looked back at Ron. 

_Annoying feeling, isn't it? _

Hermione stiffened. Her breath was caught in her throat. She had just distinctly heard a young woman's voice float through her head. She could feel the voice in her head even though the person wasn't talking. She was hearing voices. Well, it was only one voice, but that still wasn't any better. Her thoughts were slowed. It felt as though she were caught in a mental fog. It was a rare thing that could cause her to feel like this. Was she meant to respond? Should she just ignore the voice? 

Before she could decide, a series of loud thumps emanated from the staircase. Sabrina appeared at the bottom. She had landed quite awkwardly, on her back with her legs thrown over her upper half. Hermione rushed over to her, but Sabrina righted herself and swished her hand. Hermione fought through the freeze and found that Sabrina was gone. 

"Sabrina?" There was no response. 

Sabrina was somewhere in the castle. Where, she could not be sure. The room was completely dark. Someone had sent her to this place. She suspected that it was the Cian Master, though she hadn't seen who had pushed her. While she was deciding what to do, several invisible things hit her, forcing her to the ground. She tried to fight them off, but she could do very little when she couldn't see whatever was attacking her. 

"He was actually able to gain Barbas's powers? How?" Piper asked Leo disbelievingly. The Elders had called Leo while Piper had been talking with him about Chris. That had irritated Piper, but now that she knew why, she was less ruffled. Fear would definitely help the Cian Master out a lot. 

"The Cian Master is a powerful demon. You should be able to use the Power of Four to block him so that he won't be able to use your fears against you, though."

"What if he's already in?" 

"Then you'll have to face your fears. But I doubt that he's already in." 

All of a sudden, Piper was yanked away from the room. She was in a part of the dungeons… and the Cian Master was there. He had Chris and Wyatt. Without hesitation, she attacked him. Surprisingly, he went down. She kept hitting him, and he didn't even defend himself. Once she saw that Chris and Wyatt had disappeared, she realized that this was just an illusion based on her own fears. She smirked and stood up. "You're going to have to do better than that, Cian!" 

But what if he had her sisters too? 

Phoebe stared numbly at the body. "No," she whispered and cradled her body… Sabrina's body. "No… Sabrina, you have to wake up." Silent sobs shook her body as she rocked back and forth. The loss of a child brought indescribable pain. A scream dislodged itself from her throat and reverberated off the walls. Another scream followed. 

"Phoebe, it isn't real," Piper tore her away from the body. Phoebe pushed her away and clung to Sabrina. 

"My daughter…" 

"That isn't Sabrina. She isn't dead. This is just your greatest fear. You can protect the real Sabrina, but you have to let go of this. Sabrina may be in trouble. We have to find her right now." 

"Don't you dare to lie to me. Can't you see her?" 

"I don't see Sabrina. I only see your fear. You have to let go." She eased her hand onto Phoebe's. "Let go…" She started to pull at Phoebe. With a strangled cry, Phoebe leapt away from the illusion. The body disappeared. Phoebe looked from the empty space to Piper. Tears were still shining in her eyes. "Sabrina must be facing her greatest fear too. You can sense her out." 

Phoebe nodded. The shock had stolen away her words. Even though it was over, she still felt it. That made finding Sabrina even more urgent. 

Sabrina dove out of the way of another attack. She was starting to get a feel for this, but she definitely wanted all this to be over. It was so dark within the room that she couldn't even see her own energy balls. This was true entrapment. 

"Sabrina!" Phoebe rushed into the room. Sabrina was perfectly fine, though she was fighting off a small orb of purple light. It was a flibje. Piper blew it up without a problem. Phoebe went over to Sabrina. She hadn't even looked at them. She still looked like she was on edge. 

Something grabbed Sabrina in the darkness. She gasped and struggled. 

"Sabrina, stop. It's just me."

"Mom?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. It's just so dark in here. I can't see a thing." 

Phoebe stared into her eyes, then slowly waved her hand in front of Sabrina's face. There was no reaction. "Oh my God." 

"What's wrong?"

"You're blind."   
  



	7. Dark Vengeance

**A/N: whoa. It has been a long, long time. I wasn't being lazy, I swear. Let me just make one thing clear: I HATE fixing up houses. And I LOVE writing. So loyal readers, I am back. Thank you so much, animalzoo, svata2004, Phoenix5143, Ms. Marvel, and Melissa for reviewing. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, so I hope you like it. It's good to be back!**

"Why isn't she healing?" Phoebe asked anxiously.

"I don't think this is a physical injury," Leo responded.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe looked into Sabrina's unseeing eyes. She couldn't help her daughter, and it made her feel so vulnerable.

"Think about the Cian Master's new powers. He can force us to face our greatest fear. This is Sabrina's greatest fear," Leo explained.

"My greatest fear is to be blind?" It didn't seem right. That wasn't her fear, she was certain.

"No. It's something deeper. This is a form of defenselessness."

"Defenselessness? How could I be afraid of defenselessness? I have tons of defensive power," Sabrina argued.

"That doesn't matter," Leo said. "This is still your fear, and you have to face it."

"Leo's right," Phoebe spoke. "The only way to overcome your fear is to face it."

"But this still doesn't seem right. Shouldn't I feel afraid?" Sabrina just didn't want to see this as her greatest fear. Perhaps it was denial, but Sabrina certainly wouldn't acknowledge that fact.

"Don't you?" Phoebe replied.

The tone of her voice caused Sabrina great aggravation. It was the typical mom tone that informed Sabrina that she was wrong. "Well, maybe a little, but I'm trying to avoid thinking about the fear." How could she get around that, though? She was terrified by this. She was susceptible to all demon attacks. She could easily be killed. She really was helpless.

The suppressed fear began to rise up. She pushed it back and attempted to concentrate on what her mother was saying.

"You can't avoid the fear. Ignoring it will only make the situation more difficult. Sabrina, you have to realize that you have the power to overcome this. You have natural strength in you. Tap into that now and free yourself from that fear."

Sabrina concentrated on the fear. _I can overcome this. I am stronger than this. I am not defenseless. _But still she did not see. She sighed. "That's very inspirational, mom, but I can't do it."

"Maybe she should just go to bed," Leo said.

"What?" Phoebe cried and turned to Leo. "We can't give up yet. She's blind. I can't leave her like this."

"She can't overcome her fears right now. It might even be more involved than just that fear."

"What do you mean by that?"

"We'll discuss that tomorrow. Just take her to bed."

Now her fear was outweighed by embarrassment. They were going to treat her like she was a child. "I can get upstairs by myself, Uncle Leo."

"Sabrina, don't be proud," Phoebe said and pulled her up. "Let me help you."

Sabrina wasn't about to allow this. She shimmered up to the dorm. "See, mom," she muttered to herself. "I got up here just fine." She turned and walked into her bedpost. "Ow." She rubbed her stinging forehead, feeling glad that no one had witnessed that slip up.

"Sabrina," Hermione whispered, causing her to jump.

"Yeah, Herm?" She looked towards the sound. She didn't yet want to betray her inability to see.

"I was so worried about you. I tried to talk to your aunts, but they wouldn't say anything. What happened?" Sabrina looked kind of odd. It wasn't really anything about her appearance, but rather the way she looked at Hermione. It was like she was staring off into space instead of at her.

"Umm… Nothing much. The Cian Master has Barbas's powers, though."

"Did he use them on you?" She went closer to Sabrina, trying to figure out what was different about her.

"Yeah, actually. But I'm okay. Really. I'm just tired."

She moved a little to the left, then a little more. Sabrina continued to stare ahead at where she had been standing before. "Can you see me?"

"Of course I can see you, Herm," Sabrina said with a laugh. "What a silly thing to say."

"Then why aren't you looking at me?" Sabrina didn't respond to that. "Are you blind?"

She sighed. "Yes, I am. This is apparently my greatest fear."

"That's terrible!"

"You have no idea."

"Isn't there something you can do?"

"I can only overcome the fear, and I'm not too good at that."

Hermione shook her head. "Now you won't be able to admire Harry."

A smile broke across Sabrina's face. "Darn it!"

Hermione smiled a little. "You're pretty good at making the best of everything."

"You're pretty good at making me laugh when I'm freaking out," Sabrina responded.

"I do what I can."

"Well, I should really get some sleep. Maybe I'll wake up and be cured."

_Doubt it. _"Maybe. Night, Sabs."

"Night."

Hermione returned to her bed, but she couldn't sleep. She was certain that she had heard a voice before. Whose voice it was, she did not know. She hadn't heard anything more either, so she was unsure of what to do about it. It was never good to hear voices. At least she could be sure that it wasn't the voice of a basilisk. No mentions of killing, that was always good. Just a simple statement about her desire for Ron.

_They're probably all asleep now. I shouldn't say anything just because I can't sleep._

There it was again! The voice… it was back. But what to do? Should she say something? _Whom are you talking about? _She asked at last. She felt a bit anxious as she waited for a reply. A million things ran through her mind before the mysterious voice spoke again.

_So you're the new voice. I meant to talk to you more earlier, but I was interrupted. I'm the Watcher, by the way._

_Er… pleased to meet you… I think. _She was talking to an unknown voice. It could just be a figment of her imagination, but it could also be something much more.

_I know this is kind of weird, _the Watcher continued, _but I recommend just going with it. The other voices are pretty cool and easy to talk to._

_Other voices? _She wasn't quite sure how to feel about that.

_Oh, you haven't met them yet?_

_No, not yet. You're the only one so far._

_I see. Well, you'll meet them soon. Wait, I don't know what to call you. _

_You want to know my name? _

_A title, actually. We don't use names here, _the Watcher told her.

_I see. Umm… I guess I could be called the Teacher_.

The Watcher laughed. _Well, everybody needs a teacher around sometimes. Welcome, Teacher, to this strange little circle. Just wait to you meet the others._

_Is that something to look forward to?_

_Don't worry, _Watcher assured her. _You're going to get along just fine with them._

_**THIS IS A BREAK SINCE THOSE STAR THINGIES WON'T WORK**_

Sabrina couldn't shake the feeling that she hadn't yet opened her eyes. She kept forgetting that she couldn't see. _This is going to take some getting used to… _She shook her head. _No, I can't get used to this. That would mean accepting it, and I am not going to do that. _

"Okay, Leo. Now you can tell us all what you meant last night," Phoebe said. Her sisters, Leo, Sabrina, and herself had gathered in her room. They were trying to grasp the whole situation.

"What did he say?" Prue questioned.

"He said that this may be more than Sabrina's fear," Phoebe told her.

It was so strange to only hear her family. Sabrina could clearly picture them in her mind, but it was nowhere near the same thing as actually seeing them. She felt like she was lost in a fog and that there was no way to get out. Strange, though… She didn't feel the same fear that she had felt before. She was more angered by this situation than she was frightened by it. Perhaps that had to do with what Leo was thinking.

"It seems that this is something that Sabrina's subconscious feels she needs," Leo started to explain.

"What? Why do you think that?" Piper asked.

"Think about it. Last night, Sabrina was faced with her greatest fear. You all know that your greatest fear is something that can destroy you immediately if you don't gain control. But that's not what's happening. This is her fear, but it's not destroying her. I believe that she needs to face more than just her fear. She has to realize what she's trying to tell herself. Only then can she overcome this," Leo said.

"Wait. I need this? My subconscious thinks I need this? I don't need this. I need my sight so that I can fight demons. I need it so that I can keep an eye on Chris since I seem to be the only one who believes that he's in the most danger. I need it so that I can figure some stuff out. Plus there's the small matter of my education. Why would I need something that would cancel out all my hard work?" Sabrina demanded.

"Sabrina, just calm down. What you need to focus on right now is this. You may hate it, but you heard Leo, and you need to face this," Paige said.

Sabrina sighed. "Fine. I'll analyze this and fix it. But I'm only doing this because I have more important things to do."

"Good. And speaking of your education…." Phoebe began.

"Yeah, what am I going to do about that?" Sabrina asked.

"Well, you really do have to go to classes. You need all the magic education you get right now. You are sixteen, after all," Prue said.

Now there was a typical Prue answer. Sabrina smiled a little at that. "But how? I don't want to shimmer around the castle. No one here would take too well to someone who's part demon."

"You could just have you friends guide you," Piper suggested, knowing full well that the idea would be shot down.

"Absolutely not. I refuse to be dependent on anyone," Sabrina said adamantly.

"Okay. Well, your pride has been served, but what about the reality of this situation? You can't just wander around the castle, no matter how extensive your knowledge of this castle is," Phoebe said.

"Maybe I should get a seeing eye dog," Sabrina said jokingly.

Prue's eyes suddenly lit up. A grin spread across her face. She turned to her sisters and nodded, puzzling them. Phoebe thought for a moment, then caught onto Prue's idea. Her mouth opened, then she too grinned. She gave her the thumbs up, confusing Piper and Paige.

"What-"

Prue put her hand over Paige's mouth. "Sabrina, you don't have to worry about a thing. We're going to fix this and…. I think… everyone's going to end up much better." She mouthed the key word to her sisters. Piper and Paige finally got it. They all tried not to laugh. Oh, this was going to end very well indeed.

**_THIS IS ANOTHER BREAK_**

"I know it sounds ridiculous. And surprisingly, Prue came up with the whole thing. She sees it as a perfect solution for two problems. Sabrina needs help, and she needs to learn how to allow others to help her. She's significantly prideful," Phoebe said to Sirius. She was beginning feel like she should just go. It was just that she was so comfortable with him. And how many times in the past had they come close to admitting their feelings? That was too much, especially at that moment.

But she had never needed Sirius as much as she now needed him. She was helpless, and though she had the support of her sisters, it just wasn't the same as what Sirius did for her. She knew how much she loved him and how much she needed him, but Sabrina needed her now. Phoebe couldn't be with Sirius.

"So you want me to pretend to be a seeing eye dog?" Sirius responded.

"Uh… basically, yeah. You know what, it was a silly thing to ask. I'll just go now. Sabrina probably thinks I'm up to something… and, well, I am, but…. I'm just going to go," Phoebe babbled.

"It's not like I have anything else to do, Pheebs. But how would I make sure that I'm not recognized?"

"Glamour spell. You'll look nothing like your usual dog form," Phoebe informed him.

"I'll do it. It should be interesting to be able to roam around Hogwarts again. And I would like to know why Sabrina hates me."

"Sirius, she doesn't hate you."

"Fine. Strongly dislikes."

Phoebe sighed. "God, Sirius, you know why. Everyone does. We just can't speak of it." She looked away. "And I know what you feel. I know. I love you too." There the unspoken feelings were finally expressing. That which they already knew was revealed. Well, there was no harm in a kiss.

So she indulged. She finally kissed Sirius, and it felt so good. It was everything that she imagined and more. When the kiss ended, she whispered, "but I'm saving myself for the many Hogwarts boys who want me."

"Ha! Like you can resist me." He pulled her into another kiss.

_Am I betraying her? I don't know anymore._

**_THIS IS ANOTHER BREAK_**

_So now we all know each other. And we still have no clue why we hear each other. But at least we know that we're all real, _the Watcher said. They had all been introduced to each other, and Hermione had insisted on proving that they were all real. They were.

_I'll have to do some research on this. There must be other documented cases of this ability. Perhaps I could figure out what allows for this link. A magical trait that we have in common, maybe_, Hermione mused.

_Does it really matter? _the Son asked.

_Of course it matters! _Hermione argued.

_But why?_ the Son questioned.

_Because this could have great significance in the magical world,_ Hermione said.

_I have to agree with the Teacher, _the Shadow spoke. _This is a magical phenomenon. There must be some reason for it, and there is a great possibility that this is a significant event. _

_Well, if something significant is going to happen, it will happen on its own. I don't really care to know any more than that, _the Watcher responded.

_I completely agree, _the Son said.

_Fine. You're free to not care, but I choose to research,_ Hermione said. _You know, Watcher, you seem a little distant. What's wrong?_

_Well, my mother is topping the list right now,_ the Watcher replied. _She's up to something, but I don't know what._

_Mothers are almost always up to something, _Hermione said. _She's not an evil person, is she?_

_No. Not at all._

_Then you have no reason to be worried. She won't do anything awful, _Hermione spoke.

_I guess you're right. _Sabrina paused and listened carefully. Someone was coming.

"It's just me, Sabs," her mother said, announcing her presence.

_Ah, here she is now._

"I've solved your little problem."

"Little?"

"Well, big. I thought about what you said, and I got you a seeing eye dog." It was so hard not to laugh. Phoebe just had to hold it back.

"What? A seeing eye dog? I was just joking."

"I know, but it was a good idea."

Sabrina put on a stony expression. "I don't need any help."

"Sabrina, this does not make you weak. And he's a sweet dog, really. You'll love him." The last words turned in a short laugh.

"Are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. So you'll meet him tomorrow, and he'll take you to your classes. He's, um, magical. He'll know where to take you."

"Fine. I'll use him to get to my classes, but at the end of the day, you take him," Sabrina said, her pride jumping to the forefront yet again.

"Don't be so prideful. You're acting just like your father." Phoebe stopped.

Sabrina didn't say a word. No one ever talked about her father. She knew a little about him, mostly how he died. She didn't know much about the time when her mother loved her father, back when he was good.

The silence lasted a while before Phoebe spoke. "So tomorrow you'll go to all of your classes as you normally do."

"What's the dog's name?"

"His name?" Phoebe repeated.

"Yeah. Most often, dogs do have names."

"His name is… uh…" Couldn't Sirius… Couldn't be Snuffles… Couldn't be Padfoot… "Moose."

"The dog's name is Moose?" Sabrina laughed.

"Uh… Yeah. His name is Moose. Yeah," Phoebe said.

"Okay. Well, it's a unique name."

"Definitely."

"I think I'll try to get in touch with myself now. You know, figure this out."

"Good. That's very good. I have to go now."

"You do that."

She went to leave.

"Oh, and mom?"

"Yeah?" Phoebe turned.

"I think you need to relax or something. You seem kind of weird."

"How's that unusual?"

"True."

Phoebe got out of the room and burst out laughing. By the time she got back to her room, she had worked out the mirth. Paige was there, guarding the door.

"I see you told her," Paige said, smirking.

"I could hardly keep myself from laughing. I glad I did, though, because she suspected that something was up. But now she's too enwrapped in matters of pride to care."

"That's good, I suppose. It's been clear around here."

"I didn't even realize this was going to be so complicated," Phoebe said.

"Well, we do have to make sure that no one finds Sirius."

"Thanks for helping me out."

"No problem."

Phoebe went into the room. Sirius was there waiting for her. "I told her, and she's not too fond of this whole thing, but she'll be okay. Just so you know, I gave you a name."

"Oh? What is it?" he questioned.

"Moose."

"You named me Moose?"

"I just said the first thing that came to mind," Phoebe said.

"Where did 'moose' come from?"

"I have no idea. But lately things have been worse than usual. The Cian Master is after my daughter… now she's blind. And now… us. I can't even think straight." She sat down on the bed.

"Look, we're not going to face the us issue yet. That can wait." He sat down next to her.

"But how long have I made you wait?" She looked into his eyes, then put her head on his shoulder. He gathered her up in his arms. "I just want to protect her and love you. Why is that so hard to do?"

"You try too hard. Concentrate on Sabrina now. She needs you more than I do."

"And I need you."

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

**_SUPRISE! A BREAK_**

Meanwhile, Sabrina had gotten caught up in an elemental meditation, likely because it was much harder to analyze herself. She had only been confusing herself by doing that, so she had decided to try to turn into water. It seemed a little easier now that she was blind. She could concentrate more readily on becoming water. But she still didn't enjoy the task.

_Do any of you enjoy meditation? _Sabrina asked.

_Of course. It's so relaxing,_ the Shadow said.

_I've never had time for that kind of stuff, _the Teacher said. _I'm always too distracted._

_Same here, _the Son said.

_Why do you ask? _the Shadow inquired.

_I have to do meditation for magical purposes._

_Wait, that might just be an idea! _the Teacher said excitedly.

_What are you talking about? _the Son asked.

_If we meditate on this situation, we may be able to find the answers within ourselves. After all, the power for this comes from within us, so it's logical that we should be able to understand that power on our own, _the Teacher clarified. _Of course, research would still help. Goodness, what am I doing just sitting here? I need to get started. _

_Tell us if you find anything, _Sabrina responded.

_I certainly will. Keep going with that meditation. Son, Shadow, I recommend that you meditate on this._

_Will do._

Sabrina smirked. She enjoyed talking with the voices, and she was glad that she wasn't crazy. That sort of knowledge was always a relief. Sighing, she went back to the task.

_Water. I am water. _She thought of its flow. She imagined the feel of water on her, and then she told herself that she was a part of that flow. _I am a part of water's flow. I am water. _She imagined herself melding into the water, becoming a part of the whole. _I am water. _

Suddenly, a peculiar feeling came over her. She was no longer herself. She _was _water. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "I finally did it!" She concentrated on becoming herself again, and she morphed back. Overjoyed, she shimmered to her mother's room.

"Mom!"

Phoebe jumped. She had almost been asleep there in Sirius's arms. _WAIT! _Her mind screamed. _Sabrina… she can see Sirius… she's going to hate me… _She started to panic before she looked into Sabrina's eyes. The panic died down. "What is it? Are you okay?"

"I'm better than ever. I turned into water!"

"That's great!"

Sabrina concentrated on water and was able to become water. Moments later, she was whole again. "Now I just have to show the quizmaster." She shimmered off again.

"That was a little too close for comfort," Phoebe said.

"Which is exactly why you aren't ready for this yet," Sirius said.

"I never knew that you could play the caring guy so well."

"This isn't an act. I care about you, Pheebs."

"Okay, now you're just getting mushy," she said.

"God forbid."

**_I MISS THE STARTHINGIES... A BREAK_**

"I want this Drew Perry destroyed. He's part whitelighter. Send enough darklighters to kill him. And don't screw this up. He has some sort of an advantage. He has a knowledge of potions that doesn't make sense. Do whatever you can to take him out. Go now."

**_A BREAK_**

"I'm telling you, Drew, you are in danger," Sabrina said urgently.

"I'm quite used to that," Drew said as he measured out the ingredients.

"And why is that?"

"I'm a part of a resistance in the future," he said in an offhanded way.

"Resistance against what?" Sabrina shook her head. "That doesn't matter. The point is, the Cian Master is coming after you. Darklighters are coming for you. Are you even listening?"

"Yeah. I heard you. I've got enough potions here to take care of anything he sends my way."

"Well, at least stick around me," she said huffily. She wasn't sure why she was so concerned about him, but she was.

"Sabrina, you're blind. And I'm older than you. I'm more experienced at this stuff."

"I'm more experienced at protecting people. I always protect Wyatt and Chris," she responded. "Besides, I have instincts. I need my sight to use my powers. I'm aware of movements." She was talking to a wall. Literally.

"I'm over here, Sabs."

She chalked up the use of her nickname to his study of her. "Just be careful."

"You really need to stop worrying all the time. You're acting like Piper," Drew said. "I'm supposed to be protecting you, you know."

"I can protect myself, thank you very much."

"Hey, I saved your life."

"Grr. Fine. I have to get to my classes. If you die, no one can say that I didn't warn you." She stopped, listening carefully. She had heard something strange…

Suddenly, a darklighter appeared. She killed it with an energy ball. "Wow. That felt great."

"You did a good job."

"Wait, you're still here? Just kidding." She left.

"Sabrina, there you are." Phoebe came up to her, leading 'Moose'. "Here is Moose."

"I don't know, mom… this is so weird." But her feelings changed once she found how friendly Moose was. "Aww, he's as sweetie."

"I told you. Now, you get to class," Phoebe said.

"I had a premonition about Drew. The Cian Master is sending darklighters after him. Leo, Chris, and Wyatt could be in danger too, so you'd better warn them. I still have a lot of darklighter potions left over, so give them to them when you can. I tried to get Drew out of his hiding hole, but he wouldn't listen to me. I think he'll be okay, but tell Leo."

"Geez, Sabs, you're really overloading with worry. I'll take care of it."

"I'll check on that progress later," Sabrina replied and started off.

Phoebe watched her go. It was so strange to see her relying on Sirius. _I wonder how she'll react when she finds out…_

Only time would tell.

**_LAST BREAK_**

_Well, this day went pretty well. _The day had been nice and smooth for Sabrina. Except… she had been avoiding her friends. She didn't want them to pity her. That was one thing that she refused to stand. "You seem to be the only one who doesn't pity me, Moose," she murmured as she walked down the hall, back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, well…" a most unwelcome voice said. "If it isn't the mighty Sabrina Halliwell, rendered completely helpless."

"Malfoy… it is good to not see your face. If it can be called that," she responded, trying to control the energy ball that was beginning to form.

"I'd love to chat, but I think I'd prefer to try out a new spell… see how it works…"

Before either of them could do anything, Moose lunged forward and attacked Malfoy. Malfoy screamed and Sabrina heard a loud ripping sound. That was followed by the sounds of Malfoy retreating.

Moose came trotting up to Sabrina and dropped a large amount of cloth into her hands. She laughed heartily and patted Moose on the head. "Good dog. Very good dog."


	8. Inherit the Witch

**A/N: thank you, Ms. Marvel and Phoenix5143 for reviewing the last chapter. This chapter is nice and long, and I quite enjoying writing it. Surprisingly, it only took me two days to write. I made Sabrina a little more human just because I feel that she can sometimes be a little too wonderful. Hope everyone likes it. **

"Sabrina! Wait up!"

"Quicken pace, Moose," Sabrina murmured to her furry companion. She was currently running away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She had carefully avoided them all week. God, she really had been blind for a whole week. It hadn't been easy, but Moose had been a great help. Malfoy had been avoiding her ever since the last incident, and Moose really did understand English very well. Sabrina had even taken to talking to him while she ate breakfast or lunch in a hidden part of the castle. She knew that this situation was becoming a bit extreme, but she was too enwrapped in getting her vision back to really care. She just really didn't want her friends to see her like this. Everyone knew she was blind, but she just couldn't bring herself to face them when she was so weak.

"Sabrina!" Hermione was gaining on her. She certainly was determined. "Come on! Stop!"

"No, thanks."

"Fine," Hermione muttered and stopped.

Sabrina slowed down, smirking. Hermione had given up.

"But you asked for this…" was the last thing Sabrina heard before the spell hit her. She began to go backwards very quickly. At last she reached Hermione and stopped, completely unable to move.

"You're such a cheater," Sabrina complained. "Moose, get her!"

Hermione looked at Moose. He was scratching the back of his ear with his back foot. Hermione laughed. "No offense, Sabs, but your attack dog could use some work." She had not really gotten to know Moose yet, but it was obvious that he was a friendly dog.

"Moose!" Sabrina whined, trying to goad him into action. She sighed. Moose knew not to attack Hermione, unfortunately. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Well, I was hoping that I'd be able to walk to classes with my best friend, who has been avoiding me all week," Hermione said. "Unintentionally, of course. Right?"

"No, it was intentional," Sabrina said.

"So what's the reason, Sabs?" Harry questioned as he and Ron caught up.

"You know, I don't have time for this," Sabrina sighed. "I have classes to get to, and you won't even let me freeze time."

Hermione undid the spell on her arms. "There. You're free to-"

Sabrina didn't allow her to finish. She froze all three of them, then attempted to get rid of the spell completely. That didn't work out too well. Whatever spell Hermione had used was a strong one. Reluctantly, Sabrina unfroze her friends.

"-freeze us," Hermione went on. "But you can't undo the spell."

"Did I ever tell you that you're plain evil?"

"Dare I remind you that you're the one who's been using her own little spells to hide away?" Hermione retorted.

"Okay. We're even," Sabrina conceded. "Now let me go."

"We're not letting you go until you tell us why you've been hiding away," Ron said.

"Now are you going to tell us, or are we going to have to drag you to all your classes?" Harry questioned.

"Because we'll do this either way," Hermione finished.

"Well, I've been busy," Sabrina said lamely.

"Busy avoiding us," Harry quipped.

"Look, I didn't want you to pity me. And I know that you would act weird around me. That's how everyone has been," Sabrina said.

"Sabrina," Hermione started and touched her arm.

Sabrina gasped as she saw herself and Hermione standing by a robot. They were both starting at the robot, mouths hanging open. They turned to each other and exclaimed, "You… and I didn't… I can't believe it!" The vision faded away, leaving Sabrina with the familiar darkness. "Now what was that all about?" Sabrina remarked, annoyed. That vision had given her no information. She hated it when she had premonitions like that.

"What did you see?" Hermione inquired.

"The two of us standing in front of a robot," Sabrina said.

"Robot?" Hermione repeated.

"Yeah. So, how about you let me go?" Sabrina said cheerfully. "That works well for me."

"Are you going to run away again?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Sabrina replied truthfully.

"We actually miss you, you know," Ron said. "We need you to control Hermione. She's been forcing us to look up rare magical abilities. She's become obsessed with telepathy."

"It's just a phase, Ron," Sabrina responding, smiling despite herself. "She did the same thing with remote viewing last year, remember?"

"If you two are finished…" Hermione stated indignantly and reworked the spell on Sabrina. "There."

"Hey, I still can't move," Sabrina said.

"Oh, you can move," Hermione said. "You just have to be touching one of us in order to do so."

Sabrina gave her a look and touched her. She then found that she was quite mobile. "Looks like I won't need you today, Moose." She released him. "So do you have any particular reason for looking up rare magical abilities?"

"Curiosity, really," Hermione replied. "I think it's good to know about all kinds of magic. You never know when that knowledge is going to be needed."

Suddenly, it all clicked. Duh! How was it that she hadn't seen it before? Hermione was obviously the Teacher. Sabrina was about to say that when another realization dawned on her. If Hermione wasn't the Teacher, she would think that Sabrina was crazy. Or that something horrible was going to happen. That's what had happened after Harry had told them about the voice he had heard, after all. However, it was so clear that Hermione was the Teacher. But even if Sabrina planned on telling Hermione that she knew, she wasn't going to do it in front of Ron and Harry. She didn't want them to know that she was hearing voices.

"And what exactly have you discovered?" Sabrina asked, her own curiosity getting the better of her. It would be useful to know why she was hearing voices.

"Absolutely nothing," Hermione said glumly.

"Nothing?" Ron exclaimed. "We've found tons of things. She made us spend hours in the library all week. You're lucky she couldn't find you, Sabrina."

"Oh honestly," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "It's not like I chained you there."

"You threatened to," Harry reminded her.

As she hated to admit it, Sabrina had really missed this.

* * *

"I don't need the broom to fly…"

Hermione scowled and looked at Ron. He was asleep for the second time that evening.

"Just watch this…"

"Ron, wake up," Hermione said and poked him.

"Huh?" he said as he awoke.

"I'm not even making you look up telepathy," she said. "I'm only making you do your homework."

"Oh come on, 'Mione," Ron complained. "It's Friday. I have all weekend to do my homework."

"No, you don't, actually. All this weekend, we are going to be busy," Hermione said.

This caused Sabrina to look in the direction of the Hermione's voice. "What exactly are you doing all weekend?" she asked uncomfortably. The pact was still in effect, so she felt that she had a right to know anything that Hermione planned on doing with Ron.

"It's something we're all going to do," Hermione said. "While looking through one of the books on rare magical abilities, I discovered a place that hold records concerning rejected magical abilities. It's where they house the so-called hoaxes of the past."

"If it's filled with hoaxes, why would we want to go there?" Harry asked.

"Because not all of them are hoaxes. Some of them were just rejected because of lack of evidence," Hermione explained. "There could be some very useful information within those walls."

"And exactly where is this?" Ron queried.

"Well, it's outpost of the Ministry. It's underground too, but it's a large distance from the actual Ministry."

"How do you plan on getting us there?"

"Well, I was thinking that Sabrina could help," Hermione said.

"Can't help you, dear," Sabrina said, running her finger across the parchment. The words for that line of her essay appeared as she thought them up. She had found actual writing to be rather unreliable. Before, she had kept writing things in the same area, making it impossible to read. Hermione had taken pity on her and taught her a spell to transfer her thoughts onto the paper. "If it's associated with the Ministry, it has anti-shimmer spells all around it. But I could just ask Chris to orb us there."

"Are you sure you want Chris to do that?" Hermione said.

"You're probably right. I'll ask Drew. He owes me anyways," Sabrina said. "Here." She handed her essay to Hermione so that she could make sure it had turned out the way she had intended it to. "It's in English this time, right?"

"Yes," Hermione confirmed, reading through it. "So, are you all going to agree to this?"

"Fine by me," Sabrina said.

"Same here," Harry responded.

"Oh, all right," Ron grumbled, continuing to work on his homework. He knew that Hermione meant it when she said that they were going to be busy all weekend.

There was a while of silence while Ron and Harry worked and Hermione checked over Sabrina's paper.

"Good job, Sabs," Hermione said, handing her paper back to her. "Now you should get some sleep. We're going to be working hard tomorrow."

"I don't think I'm going to be much of a help," Sabrina said. "I can't exactly read any of the records."

"Oh, they have audio records as well. They even have tape-recorded things given to them by squibs and muggleborns and such."

"Well, I guess I can be more than just company," Sabrina said.

"Harry, are you done?" Hermione asked him.

"As a matter of fact, I am," Harry spoke.

"Well, I'd better check it over," Hermione said and took it from him. "Last time, you recorded part of our conversation."

"You always have to bring that up, don't you?"

Hermione ignored that. "You two had better get some sleep."

"Right. Sabs, I'll take you up to your dorm," Harry said.

Ron was about to speak up about and point out the problem with that, but Hermione stopped him. She just couldn't resist this moment.

"Harry, you're very sweet, but I can get up there just fine on my own," Sabrina stated.

Harry took her arm anyway and guided her towards the stairs. Sabrina was so overjoyed that she didn't remember what happened when a boy stepped on the stairs to the girls' dorm. Harry apparently forgot too, for he stepped on the stair. They went down immediately. They were left lying on the stairs.

"Huh. I forgot about that," Sabrina commented.

"Yeah, me too."

Sabrina really didn't mind lying there with Harry, but Hermione and Ron's howling laughter was rather a distraction. They both got up with little difficulty.

"Everyone's asleep," Sabrina said. "I can just shimmer up there. And you two can stop laughing. It's not funny."

They were incapable of speech.

"Fine. We'll just leave you two _alone_," said Sabrina, adding extra emphasis on the last word. That sobered Hermione up quickly. "Good night." She shimmered away.

Sabrina stayed awake, waiting for Hermione to come up. When she finally did, Sabrina eagerly asked, "anything happen?"

"What, you didn't feel that sudden urge to go kiss Harry and admit your undying love?" Hermione asked lightly.

"What? I can't believe it. You actually did it?"

"No, Sabs, I didn't. If I had, you would have had no choice but to get to Harry and do all the things I said."

"That's a relief, but I'm still disappointed."

"Just go to sleep."

* * *

Sabrina felt herself being dragged out of bed by her feet. "Hermione!" She held onto the bedposts for dear life.

"Come on, Sabrina. You promised me that you would come," Hermione insisted, dropping Sabrina's feet. "Now get up."

"I never promised that I would get up so early. I thought you were going to wait until a decent hour," Sabrina yawned, snuggling back under the covers. "I'm going to sleep now, and nothing you say will get me up."

"I will pour cold water all over you if you don't get up right now."

That got her up in a hurry. "What about breakfast?"

"Here," Hermione said and waved her wand. "Breakfast in bed."

"Why, how wonderful."

Satisfied, Hermione moved onto the boys. To her surprise, Harry was already up. "Oh, Harry. It's good that you're up. Now I won't have to go through the trouble."

"You'll have to with Ron," Harry said, motioning towards Ron's sleeping form.

Hermione sighed and shook him awake. Ron complained bitterly about the awakening, but he got out of bed. Waving her wand, Hermione commanded both of them to eat quickly. "So what made you get up so early?"

"Just couldn't sleep," Harry muttered.

Hermione cast a concerned look at her friend. "Did you have a vision?"

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "Just some odd dreams."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No. Let's just get started."

"Okay, this man never sleeps," Sabrina declared as she appeared with Drew.

Drew ignored Sabrina. "Where are you four going?"

"The Department of Unsubstantiated Rare Magical Occurrences," Hermione told him.

"Do you really want to waste your time there?" Drew questioned.

"There are some solid reports there, you know," Hermione said huffily. "Just kindly orb us to the Department."

Drew obliged her without a word. The Department of Unsubstantiated Rare Magical Occurrences turned out to be rather shabby. It was a basically only a basement. There was only one person there, a man who was sitting at a desk, reading the newspaper. He seemed unaffected by the fact that a group of people had just orbed into the room. "Welcome to the Department of Hoaxes," the man said, not looking up from the newspaper.

"It's the Department of Unsubstantiated Rare Magical Occurrences," Hermione said through gritted teeth.

The man glanced at Hermione. "Whatever you say."

"You four have fun," Drew said, smirking, and orbed out.

"This place isn't even shimmer protected," Hermione said as they went to the back section of the room. "This is exactly what happens when departments aren't given sufficient funding."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Herm, but this is what happens when no one really cares," Harry said.

Hermione scowled at him. "Sabrina, here are the audio records." She shifted through shelves and found a section labeled 'telepathy-related'. "What good luck! Here you go, Sabs. There's a whole shelf."

"I'm jumping for joy inside," Sabrina grumbled.

Hermione dragged Harry and Ron to the written records and discovered a large section devoted telepathy. "Wonderful!" she squealed. "Let's get to work."

"Well, the voice identified itself as Merlin." Sabrina sighed and debated whether or not she was going to skip over this one. "He then commanded me gather a group of muggles and take them to a green goddess at the end of the ocean. I did as he told me, and I found the green goddess. She overlooked the ocean, holding an eternal flame. At her feet, there were the words, 'bring me your tired-'"

The words turned into high whirring as Sabrina fast-forwarded the tape. The next recording came on as she stopped. "I was sitting by the willow tree when a branch fell onto my head. When I regained consciousness, I found that I could hear my cat's thoughts," a woman's voice said. "She was thinking about destroying my couch. Later I came to find that I could understand all animals-"

"Thank you, Doctor Dolittle."

Hermione frowned at the page. Another obvious hoax. "Why is it that they can't separate the fakes from the reports with merit?" she asked and shut the book, picking out another one.

"Hermione, maybe you should just admit that this place is full of hoaxes and is just a waste of time," Ron said.

"Absolutely not! There are plausible reports here, and I am going to find them."

Two hours later, they were all about to give up.

"I… er, may have been wrong about this place," Hermione admitted. "But let's stay a little longer, okay?"

"Fine," Ron said. He had just found a rather interesting report. It was from 1925, and it detailed a woman who claimed that since childhood, she had been able to speak to four other voices in her head. It greatly resembled a report that he had found earlier. That one had been from 1890, and the man had too claimed that he was able to speak to four people in his head. These reports, Ron found, were fascinating, even if they weren't true.

"My name is Penny Halliwell."

"What?" Sabrina whispered and turned up the recording.

"For fourteen years," Sabrina's great-grandmother continued, "I was able to communicate with four voices in a way that resembles telepathy. This ability, however, is not telepathy. This is a connection that we have established only with each other. When speaking to each other, we only call each other by titles, for we feel no need to share names. To them I am known merely as the Witch Woman. The four other voices are called the Father, the Chosen Child, the Companion, and the Wizard. Though they never gave their names, I know the Father to be a man named Hugon Guaranty because of a spell. The Chosen Child is my daughter, Patricia Halliwell. The Wizard is my dear old teacher, Eric Dumbledore. The Companion is the only one whose identity escapes me. I only know that she is a young girl. But now the voices have faded. The Wizard is dead, but there is no reason why the other voices have disappeared. I have been unable to find any information concerning this ability, but I must ensure that this ability is recorded."

Sabrina stopped the tape and rewound it. "You three need to hear this!" she called out.

"What is it?" they asked as they came over.

"My great-grandmother," Sabrina said and played the recording for them.

"One person talking to four other people again," Ron murmured.

"What was that, Ron?"

"I keep finding records detailing people who could hear four other people in their heads," Ron said and showed them what he had found.

"This is definitely something," Hermione said. "Five total people every time. And an ability that never last any longer eighteen years. Plus they never overlap. This is incredible!"

_So this is a real ability. What a relief!_

Suddenly, the darkness that Sabrina had become accustomed to began to disappear. It was being replaced by light. Light… and colors. Sabrina squinted, then blinked a few times. The images were blurry, but they were clearing. Slowly, the image of her friends slid into focus. She could see! "Oh my God! I can see! I can see!"

* * *

Sabrina looked at every inch of the room that she was in. It felt so wonderful to actually be able to see. It was quite possibly the most amazing feeling ever. She was never going to take her sight for granted again. "Oh, where are they?" She was waiting for her mother and aunts. She was going to tell the good news.

"Hello, Sabrina," Phoebe said as she and her sisters walked in.

"Hey, mom," Sabrina said as casually as possible. "That's a lovely shirt you're wearing."

"Oh, thanks. I just found it in my closet. I hadn't even known it was…" She stopped. "Sabrina, can you see?"

"Yeah."

"That's so wonderful!" She gathered Sabrina up and hugged her. "How did it happen?"

"Well, I started paying attention that I had been ignoring," Sabrina said, grinning.

Phoebe hugged her again, at a loss for words.

"So now we can return Moose to wherever you got him," Sabrina spoke. "But I'd like to say goodbye to him first."

"Of course." Now was the big moment. "Here he is," Phoebe said as Sirius was revealed. She held her breath as she waited for her daughter's reaction.

"Sirius? What are you doing here?" Sabrina said, looking to her aunts for answers. She was still waiting for Moose to come out.

"Well, I was Moose," Sirius said.

"No… No, you couldn't have been Moose," Sabrina said, backing up. "I'm sure that this is a grand joke for you five, but I'm not buying it." Her aunts were sure to crack up any moment… Why did they look so serious?

"It's the truth," Piper assured her. "We just wanted you to become less... opposed to him…"

"Why?" Sabrina asked, though she knew why.

"I wanted you to change your mind," Phoebe said softly.

Sabrina stared at them. Her own mother had tricked her into relying on Sirius. Phoebe had attempted to change her attitude about Sirius by tricking her. Sabrina couldn't believe how hurt she felt. Her mother had never done anything like this before. Sabrina had always thought Phoebe was kind and giving. Had she been wrong about her? "You... you tricked me," she said in a hushed voice. "You manipulated me. And why? Because you wanted me trust Sirius? You used my time of weakness to your own advantage. How could you do this to me?"

"No, Sabrina, I didn't-" Phoebe started.

"Yes, you did." Tears were burning at her eyes, but she didn't want to cry in front of them.

"Sabrina, this wasn't your mother's idea," Prue said suddenly. "This whole thing is my fault. I did this. Don't be angry with her. Be angry with me."

"Trust me, Aunt Prue, I am," Sabrina spat. This was outrageously uncharacteristic of Sabrina, but she was so angry that she couldn't stand to be her usual self. "But you, mom, are the one who really gets me. The aunts and Sirius wanted you to be happy. You wanted to get my permission to claim Sirius. You can have him. I don't care. Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?"

"Sabrina!" Paige said. "Don't speak to your mother like that."

Sabrina just shook her head. "I trusted all of you. Even you, Sirius. Mom, I know that you didn't want me to hate you. You didn't want me to feel abandoned. But though I didn't feel it, you had abandoned me. This just proved it. You're more like my father than you know. You hated my father." She took a deep breath. "And I hate you!" She suddenly burst into flames. "I hate all of you!" She yelled. "You all betrayed me!" Sabrina turned into a miniature tornado, then disappeared.

"I'm not sure if that's progress or a huge step back," Prue said. "Should we just let her go?"

"Let her cool off," Piper said. "You can trust me on this one." She had gotten enough experience with teenage angst to know what to do.

Phoebe shook her head sadly, tears flowing from her eyes. "What have I done to my daughter?"

She didn't know the answer.

Sabrina let out a furious scream as she threw an energy ball at a boulder in the Forbidden Forest. She continued to release energy balls on the rock as the repressed tears freed themselves. Her scream faded into a serious of sobs that left her gulping for breath. Her anger was unending, it seemed. Those she had trusted had lied to her. How could she ever trust them again? It wasn't Sirius at all, really. It was the fact that everyone had lied to her that hurt the most.

Pretty soon, the boulder was reduced to a large amount of dust. Closing her eyes, Sabrina slid to the ground and buried her face in her hands.

"You finished now?" Drew inquired. He had been watching her little tantrum. It was rather familiar…

"What are you doing here?" Sabrina looked at the one who was rudely interrupting her sobbing fest.

"I was doing a spell, but I overheard your zealous battle cry and decided to check it out."

"Well you can leave now," Sabrina said, a fresh wave of tears starting up.

"You sure you want me to?" Drew asked. "I mean, if you want to talk about what happened, I can listen."

"I don't even know you," Sabrina responded.

"Does that really matter?"

Sabrina considered him. She didn't want to pour out her feelings to someone who was essentially a stranger, but her emotions were boiling up inside of her, demanding liberation. "My mother and my aunts tricked me into believing that Si- I mean, my mother's boyfriend was a seeing eye dog," Sabrina started.

Drew stopped himself from laughing, but Sabrina could see what he felt when she looked into his eyes.

"I know, it's ridiculous. I even think that it's pretty funny and clever of them. That's not what's bothering me. I just don't understand why my mother felt that she had to go to such extreme lengths just to get me to like him. It's as though she doesn't know me. I hate being lied to, and lying is really the worst thing she could have done. I've been waiting for her to admit how she feels so that I could finally deal with this, but she did this instead. It just feels like we don't know each other anymore. We don't know each other anymore, and she's going to get a new life that will make even harder for me to know exactly who she is," she poured out.

"Well, you could tell her this, Sabs. You can't find out if she's changed if you don't talk to her," Drew said. "I know that you're allowing your emotions to rule you now, and that's only human of you, but once you calm down, you need to look at the bigger picture. Tonight you won't be able to do that. Now you're just feeling. But tomorrow, look at it from a different view. Right now, you're free to feel, but tomorrow, you need to think."

It was so good to listen to someone who really understood her. Drew wasn't telling her that she was wrong, even though she probably was. He understood that she was only human. "How do you understand all this?"

"I went through a lot of angst as a teen," Drew said. "I know what it feels like."

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem." He started to walk away, but before he did, he said, "I'd recommend talking to Hagrid. He's good with this stuff."

Sabrina watched him walk away. Taking a deep breath, she shimmered back to the dorm. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_It was so stupid of me, _Sabrina said to the other voices. _I feel like such an idiot. I blew things way out of proportion, and I acted like a child. How can I ever face my family again? _

_Well, there's really no avoiding it, _the Teacher said. _You can't make anything better if you don't talk to them and admit that you were wrong._

_But I'm so ashamed, _Sabrina responded. She was wandering the halls, sort of headed for her mother's quarters, but mostly avoiding them.

_You just have leave your pride behind, _the Shadow said.

_That's easier said than done, especially for me. But there's nothing else I can do, right?_

_Right, _all the voices agreed.

_But all the things I said…_

_Watcher, this issue will never get resolved if you just ignore it, _the Son told her.

_I know, _Sabrina replied.

_So you have to face it head on, _he continued.

_I am. _Gritting her teeth, Sabrina forced herself to start a course that would lead her right to Phoebe.

"Oh, Sabrina Halliwell! How wonderful it is to see you again!"

Sabrina knew that voice. "P-Professor Snape?" she asked as she turned around. It was indeed Snape, but he looked awfully… strange. His eyes were lit up, and he was… smiling. There were no remnants of his usual aura. He was so cheerful and lively. Paige had definitely been telling the truth when she said there had been a personality change.

"Sabrina, there's no need to call me professor," Snape said, pinching Sabrina's cheek. "I'm on vacation now, so I'm just Severus. I'm staying at this lovely place with Gilderoy. It's so wonderful to see him again, but I just missed dear old Hogwarts so much. And my students, of course."

Sabrina couldn't believe that this was Snape. "Um… Well, it's good to see you too, er… Severus." Sabrina had a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach as she spoke his name. She just knew that he was going to morph back into himself, then punish her for saying such things. Dread really didn't go well with her desire to laugh at this situation.

"Here he is!" A squat man came running up the hall and stopped by Snape. He caught his breath, then looked to Sabrina. "Thank God you stopped him. He escaped yesterday. We've been chasing him all morning."

A woman arrived in the same fashion as the man. "Severus! It's time to go back to the hospital."

"My, must we? I so enjoy being here," Snape said, looking forlorn at the thought of leaving.

"Well, there is much to do at the hospital," the woman reminded him. "The healers want to see you again."

"Oh, good. I suppose I should go back."

"Yes, let's go," the man said as they led Snape away.

"Goodbye, Sabrina. I'll see you soon," Snape called and waved back at her.

When they had gotten out of earshot, Sabrina burst into laughter. Snape… that had actually been Snape. She had to tell her friends about that. But first… She was getting closer to her mother's room. As she approached it, she saw a couple snogging in the hallway. Sabrina rolled her eyes. "You know, there are better places to do that," Sabrina said wryly.

The couple broke apart. It was Sirius and Phoebe. Sabrina's mouth fell open. She had thought that she would be able to accept this, but this was… ick. "Oh God. I – I've got to go now. Bye." She ran off.

"Sabrina, wait!" Phoebe called too late. "I think she wanted to talk to me." She sighed. "I sure am good at screwing moments up."


	9. The Brewing Storm

**A/N: thank you very much, girl who absolutely loves this story, for reviewing. Wow. You make me blush! You inspired me to write this chapter in ONE day. See? Reviewing does help. **

Phoebe forced herself not to smile as she rounded the corner. There was the one she wanted speak to. "Cho," she purred. "I would like to speak with you, if you don't mind."

"Of course not, Professor Halliwell," Cho said and separated from her friends.

"Now, Cho, there's no need to call me by such a formal name," Phoebe said. "Just call me Phoebe. You are with someone who's very close to me, after all. Harry is like a son to me, and you're almost like a daughter."

"Thank you, Phoebe," Cho said, though she looked a little uncomfortable with this talk.

"I want you to understand that I know what it's like to love again after suffering a loss," Phoebe went on. "It's difficult, almost impossible. And I completely understand why you broke up with Harry last year. He was confused, but I know what you were going through. It's good that you feel you're ready to move on, but are you sure that you're ready for a relationship?"

"Yes, I am," Cho said. "Harry's wonderful."

"Oh, that's good to hear," Phoebe said. "That means my sisters and I can continue to plan out the future."

"Er… Exactly what are you talking about?"

"Well, it's clear that you and Harry are going to have a future together," Phoebe said. "And I'd like to have children around after Sabrina leaves. When you're both old enough to handle the responsibility, Sabrina, Wyatt, and Chris will be off living their own lives. I'd like to have children around immediately after those three leave the nest. I've already decided what kind of wedding you're going to have, and I think six children would be good. How does that sound, dear?"

"You've already planned my marriage?"

"Of course. You two are so in love that's it's obvious you're going to get married as soon as you get out of Hogwarts. I married the man that I dated during my time at Hogwarts. Though I did end up being a single mother," Phoebe said. "But that won't happen to you, Cho. I've planned things out far too well. As long as you agree, your life will be simple and assured. What do you say?"

Cho stared at her, openmouthed. "You're serious?"

"Well, yes, I am. Just say the word and I'll set my plans in motion."

"No!" Cho cried. "I'm too young for this! I don't want to be with Harry for the rest of my life!"

Phoebe put on her most foreboding look. "Are you saying that Harry isn't good enough for you? I practically raised him, and you're saying that he's not good enough?"

Cho paled. "No, no I… uh… I'm saying that _I'm_ not good enough for him. Somewhere out there, there's a girl who's perfect for him, and I don't want to get in her way. I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's all right," Phoebe said, patting her arm. "I know what it's like to rush into a relationship. You just got in over your head. I suppose you're going to break up with him now."

"Well, there's really nothing else I can do," Cho said, backing away. "I don't want to stay in a relationship if my heart isn't in it."

"Yes, you mustn't use Harry." She smiled. "You really shouldn't use him. Really."

"I won't. I'm ending this now. Goodbye." Cho ran off.

Phoebe smiled and clasped her hands together. "I am so good."

------

"I'm going to have to apologize to all of them, aren't I?" Sabrina said, wringing her hands.

"You know the answer, Sabrina," Hagrid said.

"But I don't think I can face my mother. What if she's with Sirius again? I thought I could be okay with that. I thought I could accept it. But I… I just don't want to let him touch her. I see him, and my claws come out. I feel like I have to protect her," Sabrina said.

"That's natural. You've never seen her with anyone before. Of course, it may be intensified by your demon genes, so try to keep control over yourself. But no matter what, you need to talk to them."

"I know," Sabrina sighed. "Everyone has been telling me that, and you're right. I know that I need to do that. But I can't quite get myself to actually go to her."

"Go to your aunts first," Hagrid said. "You'll have an easier time with them. By the end of those apologies, you may feel better about facing your mother."

"Oh, all right." She went to the door. "I'm going." Sabrina didn't move. "I am."

"Well, you do have to open the door." Hagrid opened the door for her. "Now go on. You'll feel better once you get this over with."

"I guess," Sabrina mumbled and started to walk towards the castle. She wanted to take her time with this, but far too soon she found herself outside of her Aunt Prue's room. She was confronted by the portrait of a graceful young lady.

"Password?"

"Mordion," Sabrina said.

The portrait swung open. "Sabrina," Prue stated.

"Aunt Prue, I came here to apologize. I'm so sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I'm not angry with you. I don't hate you. I was wrong. I overreacted, and I'm sorry. I don't even know why I said those things, I – I…" She looked down. "I'm just really sorry. I don't know what else to say."

"You don't need to say anything else, Sabrina," Prue said. "You were hurt. You spoke without thinking."

"This can't be this easy. After what I said-"

"You know perfectly well that Chris has said worse things to us," Prue said. "I've heard it all before from him. He tells me often that he hates me, that I do nothing to change Leo. Compared to him, you're mild, Sabrina."

"But I've never acted like that before," Sabrina said. "I've lost control like that."

"It had to happen, Sabrina. It had to happen somehow. You had to lose control," Prue said.

"I did? Why?"

"So that you could unleash the elements within. Wind and fire are intense. They need intense emotion to come through. We all knew that you'd have to explode at some point for you to pass your elements test. We were just a little surprised at the way it happened," Prue explained. "It happened to my sisters and me. It's going to happen to Chris and Wyatt."

"I can see Chris doing that, but I have trouble imaging you exploding," Sabrina said.

"Well, I did. It was just too hard to will those elements."

"Everything's okay between us?" Sabrina asked anxiously.

She hugged her. "Yes, everything's okay."

"Wait, I passed my elements test?"

"With flying colors. Now go and study or something."

Typical Prue. Sabrina smiled. "I've got to go talk to the others."

"They'll understand."

Sabrina nodded and left, moving onto the portrait of the crone. "Is Aunt Piper available, or is this a bad time?" she asked.

"She's talking with Paige," the crone responded.

"Good. I have to talk to them both. Temporal stasis." The portrait swung open and Sabrina stepped in.

Both sisters turned to Sabrina, not saying a word.

"Hi," Sabrina said. "I have to tell you that I'm really sorry. I said that I hated you, and I don't. I love both of you. You've done so much for me throughout my life. You've cared for me, and you've always been there for me. I let my emotions rule me, and I wish I hadn't. I wish I could take back what I said, but I can't. I can only say that I'm sorry and hope that you can accept my apology."

"Of course we accept your apology, Sabrina. We know that you didn't mean what you said," Piper said.

"I feel so bad, though. Prue says that it had to happen, but I can't believe I actually let it happen. That's not who I am."

"You're human, Sabrina," Paige said. "You make mistakes. Everyone does. Everyone gets angry sometimes. People say things without thinking. But to err is human, to forgive is divine, and we forgive you."

"Thank you. I thought you would all lecture me or yell. I mean, I kind of deserve that…" Sabrina trailed off.

"But that would accomplish nothing," Piper said. "Your guilt is enough evidence that you truly regret what you said."

"Plus, you did do fantastically with the transformation," Paige said. "Nice fire, and you really blew us away with the little tornado."

"Paige!" Piper groaned.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist."

"Now I just have to face Phoebe and Sirius." Her nerves resurfaced at the thought of talking to Sirius. Her aunts had been easy, but Phoebe and Sirius were the ones who had really received her fury.

"You'll be fine," Piper assured her.

"I hope so. I'm actually kind of embarrassed. You see, I admitted to Moose that I like Harry."

"Oh. Don't worry. Sirius won't tell him," Paige said.

"He'd better not. Well, I should go face them now before I lose my nerve." She left, and at last she faced the portrait of the Charmed Ones. Phoebe had insisted on using that portrait. It was of the teenage Charmed Ones, and Sabrina had found that they were quite interesting. Especially Phoebe, who was just like the old Pheebs.

"Hello, Sabrina," Prue greeted her. "Sirius is inside, you know."

"I was hoping for that," Sabrina said. "They aren't… doing anything, are they?" She almost gagged at the mere thought, but she had to know.

"They're just talking," Piper said.

"The kind of talk, though, might make you want to turn back," Phoebe said, smirking.

"I don't really need that, thanks. Bonkers."

"Phoebe, why did you pick such a silly password?" Prue asked Phoebe.

"I could have done worse…"

Sabrina took a deep breath and went into the room. Sirius and Phoebe were there. Sabrina fought the urge to shimmer out and forced herself to speak. "Mom… Sirius… I, uh…" _I can't do this. I have to do this. I can't run away. _"I'm… sorry about what I said and I don't hate you and I think it's great that you're together and I give you my blessing," Sabrina said, speaking so quickly that her words kind of blurred together. "I'm sorry that I exploded like that and you didn't manipulate me and I know that; I knew it all along. I just wanted to say that so that you could hear it and I know you had good intentions; you both meant well and I was just kind of surprised and I got angry and I said things that I didn't mean and I – I – I'm going to leave now." She closed her eyes, not wanting to see them anymore, and tried to shimmer. Nothing happened. Sabrina opened her eyes. "I can't seem to shimmer," she said at normal rate of speech. She fell silent.

"That's my fault," Phoebe said. "Let's talk."

The two words that every teen dreaded. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sabrina, I'm sure," Phoebe said. "Sabrina, I know that you have trouble with the fact that I love Sirius," she said, taking Sirius's hand.

Sabrina's instincts kicked in. She pointed at Sirius. "Don't touch her," she snarled.

Phoebe studied Sabrina. "Ohh," she said. "I didn't think this was going to happen. I thought since he was gone, this wouldn't happen. Sabrina, don't point. He's not going to hurt me."

"You don't know that," she said.

"Sabrina."

Sabrina lowered her hand. Phoebe dropped Sirius's hand and moved away from him. The need to protect her mother faded instantly. Phoebe noticed this. Just to test it, she moved towards Sirius. Sabrina let out a demon growl. That confirmed it. Phoebe moved away again. She didn't need a demon Sabrina on her hands.

"Mom, what's happening to me?" Sabrina questioned, a little frightened. It was like there was a whole different part of her that could easily control her actions.

"It's… It's complicated. Both of you sit. You both need to know this," Phoebe said.

Sabrina obeyed, making sure that she wasn't too close to Sirius. She did that for his own safety.

"Demon children are quite unusual," Phoebe began. "But not only because they have powers. They also have certain character traits that are incredibly potent. Demons breed children to be strong. They also breed them to be loyal and protective. Their strength and loyalty are always with them, but the urge to protect takes over full force only when the child reaches the age of sixteen. The child feels the need to ensure that the demon's mate remains loyal to the demon. The child will basically want to kill anyone who approaches the demon's mate. You see, demon children can sense desire very easily. Eventually, their senses become extremely acute. They can smell emotions, and see intentions. Nothing can be hidden from a fully developed demon child."

"I beg your pardon?" Sabrina said. "You're telling me that I want to kill Sirius? I don't mind this. And I saw you guys kissing yesterday. I think that would have triggered a reaction."

"It did," Phoebe said. "You're been fighting your demon instincts all your life because of your witch side. But that kissing was enough to jump start your demon nature."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Sabrina asked.

"I didn't think that this would happen. At least, I hoped it wouldn't," Phoebe said. "But your demon side will be fully developing itself. You'll become half demon now."

"I'm only quarter demon."

"That's too weak," Phoebe said. "The demon part of you will take over the human traits that your father and I gave you. You're going to become half witch, half demon. You'll have a demon form, and your demon senses will become more prominent."

"I don't want this," Sabrina whispered. She was starting to cry, but she didn't care. "What if everyone finds out? They'll all hate me."

"No one will find out," Phoebe said and took Sabrina into her arms.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Sabrina managed to say. "I don't hate you." She closed her eyes. "I never did." She took a deep breath. "Isn't there a spell, mom? Can't you make this all better?"

"No, Sabrina, I can't." She stroked her daughter's hair. "It can't be undone."

"What am I going to do?"

"You can't do anything. This is going to happen." Phoebe wanted to comfort her child, but Sabrina needed to know the truth, and there was no comfort in the truth.

---------

"Sabrina, what's wrong?" Hermione asked again. She had been trying to get the truth from Sabrina all week. Every night, she heard her crying. She couldn't stand to see her best friend like this. "Please, Sabrina. Tell me."

"I'm fine, Hermione," Sabrina said.

"No, you aren't. It hurts me to see you in so much pain."

"I'm not in pain." Sabrina tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "Oh, God, who am I kidding? I'm so scared, Hermione," she said, her voice breaking into a sob.

Hermione sat down and rubbed Sabrina's back. "Okay, tell me all about it."

Sabrina shook her head. "I want to tell all of you. Where are Ron and Harry?"

"They're in the dorm."

Sabrina got up, and the two of them went over to the boy's dorm.

"I just don't understand why she suddenly did this," Harry said to Ron. Cho had broken up with him. "She was acting so weird when she did it, too. She kept looking around, and she seemed unnerved."

"Harry, is there any womanly behavior that we can understand?" Ron responded.

"I don't know."

"Well, you seem pretty okay with this," Ron remarked. "Were you considering breaking it off?"

"No, it's just… dreams," Harry said.

"Dreams? Not-"

Hermione and Sabrina burst in, Hermione in the lead. Sabrina was crying quietly.

"Sabrina!" Harry jumped up and went over to her. "What happened to you?"

"A lot, actually." She was trying to stop crying, but she couldn't seem to control it. "I'm trying not to cry, I just…" She shook her head. "Let's sit." She took a few deep breaths and stopped the flow of her tears. "This isn't really easy to say."

"Sabrina, whatever it is, we'll understand," Hermione said.

"Are you pregnant?" Ron asked.

"No! Ron, that's… no!"

Hermione threw Ron a look. "Don't speak." She turned back to Sabrina. "Go ahead."

"My mother told me about demon children," Sabrina said. "She told me that I'm going to become half demon instead of quarter demon. I'm going to get a demon form, I'm going to have acute senses, and apparently I'm going to want to kill anyone who makes a move on my mother. I'm surprised you didn't know about this, Hermione."

"I don't read books about demon children," Hermione said. "They're full of bias."

"Yeah, destroy them before they destroy you," Sabrina said. "Maybe they're right, though. There's this part of me that's forming and becoming stronger. My mother touched Sirius and something took over. I actually wanted to kill him. I don't even know what I am anymore. I'm so afraid of myself. What if I can't control it? What if I kill?"

"You won't, Sabrina. You're the purest person I have ever met," Harry said. "You're full of good. Even the demon part of you is used for good. You can control this."

"I don't think I can. I'm ruining my life, and I'm ruining my mother's life. My mother loves Sirius and if see him, I just want to…" She didn't want to speak the words. She sobbed instead.

"Your mother is in love with Sirius?" Harry and Ron both said.

Sabrina laughed through her tears. "You're both thick, you know that?"

"Yeah, but not too deep," Hermione commented.

"Well put, Hermione," Sabrina agreed.

"Sabrina, can't you vanquish the demon part of you?" Harry asked.

"No. My demon part is connected to my witch powers. If I vanquished it, I would die. But maybe I should be vanquished."

"Don't you dare speak like that," Hermione said.

"We need you, Sabrina," Ron said.

"What do you need me for?"

"Your friendship. You bring joy into our lives," Ron answered.

Everyone stared at Ron.

"What? I can say meaningful things," he said.

They all shrugged and turned back to Sabrina.

"We'll help you get through this. We'll help you to control your demon side. We promise you that," Harry said.

"You guys are great, you know that?"

"Hey, this is what friends are for," Hermione said.

Sabrina perked up. "I smell tuna and mischief." Her senses really were becoming acute.

"Aw, a love fest," Salem said from the doorway. "Can you spare some love for a downtrodden cat?"

"Come here, Salem." Sabrina petted him.

Suddenly, Hermione blurted out, "Ron, I love you."

"Harry, I love you," Sabrina said against her will.

"And I love you, Sabrina," Hermione quickly covered.

"Oh yes, there's a lot of love in this room," Sabrina said, heart thumping.

"Okay, okay. Don't get mushy. Just pet me," Salem said.

Sabrina was definitely going to talk to Hermione.

-----

"Hermione!" Sabrina called up the stairs. It was Sunday, and Hermione had avoided Sabrina all of Saturday. "We need to talk." She knew that Hermione was standing at the top of the stairs. She could smell Hermione's unique scent. This ability was beginning to get odd.

Hermione ran down the stairs, looking extremely panic-stricken.

"Hermione, I'm not going to kill you," Sabrina said, concerned about her friend's reaction. "I just wish that you had picked a better time."

"Sabrina," Hermione said, "there's something in the dorm."

"What is it?"

"I honestly do not know."

This was bad. If Hermione didn't know what it was, it had to be rare.

"I'll go check it out," Sabrina said. She went up the stairs cautiously, an energy ball on hand. As she peeked into the room, she saw a small humanlike creature. It was crouched over and was crawling around the room. It didn't appear to be looking for anyone or anything, and it didn't seem dangerous. Sabrina pointed and crystals appeared around the creature, stopping it. "Aunt Paige! I need the Book!"

Paige orbed in, Book of Shadows in hand. "Whoa. What is that?"

"I have no idea." Sabrina took the Book and flipped through it. It wasn't long before she found it. "Golem. A creature that is formed from clay by a spell. It cannot speak but can understand commands. On its forehead, 'emeth' is written, emeth meaning truth. The practice of creating these creatures was banned as muggles easily spotted wandering golems. To get rid of a golem, erase the first letter on its forehead."

Paige moved the crystals and erased the 'e'. The golem collapsed into a pile of clay. "That was easy."

"Why would it come here?"

"I don't know, but someone sent it here, probably as a sign. It couldn't harm you. Did it look like it had any intention?" Paige questioned.

"No. It was just wandering around."

"We should scry using the clay," Paige decided. "We may be able to find who did this and why they did it."

"I'll work on that," Sabrina said and got out her trusty scrying materials.

"Maybe we should take part in this. You don't know who may have done this," Paige said, easing the crystal out of Sabrina's hand.

"I can handle scrying, Aunt Paige." She reached for the crystal.

Paige considered her. "Well, okay, but don't go anywhere without telling us."

"Hey, I thought Aunt Piper was the worrier."

Paige gave her a look and orbed out.

Sabrina gathered a bit of clay and got rid of the rest. She then flopped down onto her bed and started scrying. The crystal didn't respond to any of the places on the map, but that didn't discourage her. Ten minutes later, though, she was starting to get a little discouraged. "Come on," she whispered. "Just land. Come on…" At last, the crystal landed. "Finally!" She wrote down the location and rested her aching arm.

After a few minutes, Sabrina glanced at the paper again. It wasn't that far away… But she had told Aunt Paige… No, she hadn't told her anything. That was a very convenient loophole. Her mother would kill her, though. Plus there was the possibility of real danger. The Cian Master could have sent the golem just to get at her. Drew had told her, after all, that she was first on the Cian Master's hit list. So it could be a chance to prove herself. _Come on, _she thought to herself. _How old am I? I don't need to prove myself. _

Still, the paper continued to taunt her. The curiosity was eating away at Sabrina. She bit her lip, carefully looking at the location. She stood up. _No, this is crazy. _She sat back down, then got back up. _Okay! I've got to make up my mind. Am I going or not? _She considered. _A quick look wouldn't hurt. And I'd be back so quickly that no one would notice, not even mom. I'll check it out and come right back. _She nodded. She was going. Sabrina shimmered to the place, which just so happened to be Hexwood Farm.


	10. Between Worlds

**A/N: a big thanks to girl who absolutely loves this story for reviewing again. I do hope that you enjoy this chapter as much as you have enjoyed the last ones.**

Sabrina found herself in a field that was covered by a heavy fog. She couldn't see anything. Her first instinct told her to get out of this place, but she didn't listen to it. Instead she pointed and attempted to clear some of the fog. Nothing happened. Undeterred, she tried again. This time, she was able to clear a path through the fog. She spotted a house at the end of the path. Curious, she journeyed closer. The more sensible part of her was commanding her to return to Hogwarts, but she blocked it out.

The house had obviously been abandoned for a long time. Sabrina wasn't sure if it was safe to go inside, but she found herself walking in anyways. _Just a quick look. _She went into the house. It was a mess of cobwebs and dust, but there was nothing else in it. The next room proved to be quite the same, but there was a door that led to a basement. Well, she had already gone this far… No harm in going a bit farther. The sensible part of her laughed, and Sabrina tried to quiet it.

The basement, Sabrina discovered, had also been cleared out. She sighed and was just about to go back up the stairs when something caught her eye. She walked across the basement and discovered a steel door. It was coated with spells, and she was certainly not going to be able to get through it. Stupidly, she still tried to use an energy ball on it. The ball bounced off the door and ricocheted around the room, finally disappearing when it went through the ceiling. Okay, she had had enough of a look around. Now Sabrina had to find her aunts and tell them about the mysterious door. Feeling both disappointed and relieved, she tried to shimmer out of the basement. And tried again. And once for good measure, or perhaps because she was starting to panic. Sabrina couldn't seem to shimmer. That was definitely not a good thing.

_Maybe this house is shimmer protected, _her mind suggested. Well, she had shimmered into the field. She could just as easily shimmer out… Hopefully. The sixteen-year-old witch ran up the stairs and out into the field. To her amazement, the fog had cleared. However, there was not much to see. Confidently, she attempted to shimmer. She was most disappointed when she discovered that she was still in the field. _Blast my curiosity! _"Uncle Leo!" she called. No blue light appeared. Sabrina looked around nervously. "Uncle Leo?" There was still no response. "Anyone?" Panicked alarm started to creep up on her. _No, no. I have to keep my wits about me. I still have my magic. I can zap myself back. _But she found that she couldn't. _Okay, maybe panic is a good idea. _

She broke into a run. Sabrina had no idea where she was going, but running seemed like a good option. She tried to think of where she was. She could almost see the map, but she just couldn't remember the exact location. After stumbling to the ground, Sabrina decided that she had to form a logical plan. Running like mad didn't help. She had to use her magic. She caught her breath and stood up. She would try to contact her family.

Suddenly, she spotted a figure in the distance. The person was waving his or her arms wildly, obviously attempting to get Sabrina's attention. Sabrina couldn't decide whether to run to the figure or away from it.

"SABRINA! GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE NOW!" There was a pause. "AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, BRING THE REST OF YOURSELF WITH SAID PART!"

"Mom!" Sabrina raced over to her mother, relief washing over her.

"Sabrina, you had me worried sick!" Phoebe fussed over her daughter before assuming the role of the disciplinarian. "You went to this strange place without even telling us. I don't know if you noticed, but this place fights against anyone who tries to orb, shimmer, or disapparate out of it."

"No, I noticed," Sabrina said meekly.

"Well, its field of influence ends here. You'll be able to shimmer now, but you had better savor it," Phoebe said.

"What? Why?"

"Because it's going to be the last time you shimmer in a non-emergency situation," Phoebe replied. "Honestly, what were you thinking? You know that the Cian Master is after you. You could have been killed!"

"I'm sorry, I really am. I was just so curious. But that's no excuse," Sabrina said.

"How did you get such good tendencies along with bad tendencies?" Phoebe said, frowning.

"Just lucky, I guess." Sabrina was finally able to break her gaze away from her mother. Her mouth dropped open. They were standing on the outskirts of an abandoned town. "Whoa." She attempted to get closer to the town, but Phoebe thwarted her effort by grabbing her arm.

"No way. We are going back to Hogwarts," Phoebe said. "Now let's shimmer."

"But I found this door in that house," Sabina said.

"I'm amazed."

"It's not an ordinary door," Sabrina continued, irritated. "It's protecting something. There are tons of spells on it. We need to check it out."

"You are not going to check out anything," Phoebe said. "You are going under lock and guard."

"Who's going to be doing that? The Power of Four needs to check out this place. Whatever is being protected is really important," Sabrina argued.

"I will take care of it. Don't even worry about who will be guarding you," Phoebe said. She snickered a little.

"Oh God," Sabrina said. "Who is it? It isn't Sirius is it? Because I am kind of a threat to him."

"It's not Sirius. Shimmer," Phoebe commanded.

"All right, all right. You don't have to get edgy."

They appeared in Drew's room.

"Mom, why did you direct me here?" Sabrina demanded.

"I'm just delivering you to the person who will be guarding you…" Phoebe said.

At that, Drew orbed in. "Is this absolutely necessary, Phoebe?" Drew asked.

"Come on, future boy," Salem said as he revealed himself. "This will be a barrel of fun." He winked at Sabrina.

"No! Anyone but Salem!" Sabrina groaned.

"Why, Sabrina, I'm hurt," Salem said and sniffed.

"Yes, this is completely necessary. I can't allow her to wander Hogwarts. You seem to be the only one who has a defense against the Cian Master, and you actually give the impression that you want to protect Sabrina," Phoebe said.

"What does Salem have to do with this, though?" Sabrina asked.

"He won't leave me alone," Drew said. He didn't sound particularly irritated.

"Well, I can't just let you go unguarded," Salem said. "You could easily take advantage of your freedom to wander the castle. Dumbledore must be slipping in his old age. How could he allow you such freedom?"

"I'm sure that you three have lots of things to do," Phoebe said. "Ta." She left, laughing the whole way.

"My mother is totally batty," Sabrina muttered. "She's leaving me with you?" She went over to the portrait hole. "I'm so out of – youch!" She pulled back her stinging hand. "I suppose that was more than just static electricity."

"You are correct. Only I can open the portrait now, and Phoebe would kill me if I did," Drew said as he sat down in one of the three chairs. He pulled out a large spell book and set out on the task of ignoring his prisoner.

Sabrina stood there for a while, arms crossed and teeth busy tearing apart her bottom lip. Soon, she became bored of just standing there and sat down in a chair. She sighed, filling the emptiness for a moment until silence again settled over the room. "Is this what we're going to do? You're just going to ignore me and I'm going to be bored?"

Drew answered by paying no heed to her.

"Well, you two are quite unentertaining," Salem said. He jumped up onto the arm of Drew's chair. "What are you reading?" He looked at the book. Drew turned away from the man-turned-cat. "Hey, you can ignore Sabrina, but no one ignores Salem." He went over to Drew's book and sat in it, staring up at the annoyed man.

"Salem, stop-" Drew started but was interrupted by Salem's yawn.

"I think it's time for a catnap. You two keep it down, okay?" He eyed the two and muttered, "loudmouths." He curled up, kneaded the book a little, and went to sleep.

Drew, at first, thought that Salem was just trying to annoy him. But after a few minutes passed, it became clear that Salem really was asleep. Drew waited a little longer before he poked the sleeping cat.

"Huh? What? The war's starting!" Salem got to his feet. "All men to the battle stations! Fight for your leader!"

Sabrina laughed. Salem had been dreaming of his plan to overthrow the Ministry of Magic again.

"Get off of my book," Drew said impatiently.

Sabrina shook her head, smiling. Wrong thing to say.

"We have a dirty traitor in our midst!" Salem howled. "Attack!" He launched himself at Drew's arm, gnawing at his shirt. Drew looked down at the cat. If Salem was trying to hurt him, he wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Cut it out, you delirious old coot," Sabrina said, lifting up Salem by the scruff of his neck. "You're a cat, not the potential ruler of Earth."

"Owie! Let me down," Salem said. Sabrina placed him on the ground. He crawled under the bed to sulk.

"I forgot that he did that," Drew murmured.

"Huh?" Sabrina asked.

"Nothing," Drew said. He went back to his book.

As time wore on, Sabrina grew bored. She found studying the room to be quite dull, and most of her thoughts turned out to be as engaging. _I'm bored, _was the thought that occurred most often. _Bored, bored, bored. _She started to hum, tapping the beat with her foot, and made up a little song in her head. _This place is boring, and the cat is snoring, and I don't know how much more I can take. Any longer here and I'll go jump in the lake! _

_Nice song, _the Son said.

Sabrina could hear the smirk in his voice. _Why thank you. _

_You remind me so much of my friend, _the Teacher said musingly. _That's just what my best friend would do if she were bored. _

Sabrina stopped breathing for a moment. She was almost positive that Hermione was the Teacher. She was about to state that when the Shadow asked her a question.

_Do have a particular reason for being bored? _

_Yes, _she responded. _I am being guarded by a disgruntled whitelighter who is choosing to ignore me. _She decided to talk to Hermione in person. She didn't want to take away Hermione's anonymousness.

_Why are you being guarded by a whitelighter? _all the voices asked, making Sabrina giggle.

_Okay, that was plain weird. I'm being punished by my mother. I suppose I deserve it, though. But still, this guy won't even look at me. _She stifled a yawn. _Well, at least you three will talk to me. _Suddenly, she sensed that someone else was present in their conversation. That someone heard them loud and clear, but he or she was saying nothing. Sabrina could feel, however, that the person was panicking. She could understand entirely.

_We can feel you there, _the Son said.

_There's no need to be afraid, _the Teacher said.

_Just say something, _the Shadow encouraged. _Trust me, you are not going crazy. _

_What other explanation is there for hearing voices? _the new voice yelled. It was a teen boy's voice. _Oh, Gods. I shouldn't have to go through this. This kind of stuff should only happen to Potter!_

_What's wrong with Harry? _Sabrina demanded. __

_Well, he is a bit out there, _the voice said.

_Do you know him personally? _the Son asked, sounding a little angry.

_Not really, but… my father knows a significant amount about him, _the voice responded.

_I think we have a name for you, _the Shadow said.

_The Follower, _they chorused.

_The Follower? I have never been so insulted. I am a leader, not a follower. _

_Then what's your personal opinion of Harry Potter? _the Teacher questioned.

_He's a conceited hero, _the Follower said. _He thinks that his bloody scar makes him a god. _

_He was born a god, _Sabrina sighed.

_You like Harry Potter? _the Teacher teased.

_Well, yeah. I mean, he's so… yummy._

_Oh yeah, _the Shadow agreed. _I know tons of girls who are crushing on Harry. Wait, is he the one you were thinking about when we first met?_

_Yes, he was, _Sabrina admitted.

_I completely understand now, _the Shadow said. _He does have a certain amount of charm. _

_I love his smile, _Sabrina said, melting. _The first time he smiled at me, I just about swooned. But then he had to go and get a girlfriend. _

_Oh, I heard that he broke up with Cho, _the Teacher said.

_Really? _

_I go insane and the voices in my head insist on talking about Harry Potter and how cute he is, _the Follower complained. _I had hoped that this would be a dignified event, but obviously it is anything but dignified. At least you haven't named yourselves yet. _

_Oh, sorry about that, _Sabrina said. _But he is swoon-worthy. _

The girls giggled.

_I'm the Son._

_I'm called the Shadow._

_I'm the Teacher._

_And I am the Watcher. _

_For apparent reasons, I suppose, _the Follower said. _Now I bet that you're going to tell me that you're all Gryffindors as well. _

_Well…_

_Uh…_

_Er…_

_And I am officially in hell. _

_Don't be so dramatic, _the Teacher said. _I have a feeling that this is a very important ability. It has been documented for many years. _

_You found proof? _the Shadow questioned.

_Oh, I never told you? I'm so sorry. Well, everyone, this ability is real, and many people have experienced it. Sabrina Halliwell's great-grandmother actually had this ability. _

_A Halliwell ability? _the Follower groaned. _If my father finds this out, I'll be branded a blood traitor. _

_What kind of a family are you a part of? _Sabrina asked.

_It doesn't matter, _the Follower mumbled. _Teacher, since you have found evidence of this ability, do you know the purpose?_

_Well… no. This hasn't been studied in depth, due to the incapacity of outsiders to hear the thought conversations. _

_Then why do you four continue to converse? _the Follower asked, sounding genuinely curious.

_We enjoy talking to each other, _the Son said. _Here we are unknown. We have a great deal of freedom because of that. You'll find that talking here is a lot easier than talking while you have an identity. _

_This will take some getting used to, _the Follower said. It seemed like he was calming down.

_It gets better with time, _Sabrina said.

_How long have you four been in contact? _the Follower inquired.

_The Watcher and I have been talking since the beginning of the school year, _the Shadow said. _The Son came soon after. The Teacher arrived last. But it's hard to tell exactly how long it has been. Here, there is no time. We may have been in contact for a lot longer, depending on-_

_I'll settle for since the beginning of the school year, _the Follower said.

_I have to agree with him on that, _the Son said.

_But the Shadow brings up a valid point, _the Teacher said.

_Nope. Don't care, _Sabrina said. _All I know is that we've been talking for a while and that no one here is crazy. That is all that I need to know. _

_You are impossible, _the Teacher said.

_I know. _

"Come on, Sabs," Drew said, snapping the book shut. "It's about dinner time. I have to escort you there."

"Dinner?" Salem ran up to the portrait and scratched at it. "Someone weighing more than ten pounds, please."

Looking out the window, Sabrina saw that it was much later than she had thought. "How long was I away?" Sabrina asked.

"Long enough for your family to freak out," Drew said. "But we've been here a while, too." He pushed open the portrait and Salem launched himself down the hall.

Sabrina followed Drew, lost in thought. Five total voices. They were now complete. What was going to happen now?

"I know that you're going through the transformation," Drew said quietly as they walked down the hall.

"You do? How?"

"I've studied demon children, even though I never saw you personally go through the change," he said. "Have you been talking to anyone about it?"

"No," she admitted. "But there's not much to talk about. My senses are sharpening – nice cologne, by the way – and I have a driving need to protect my mother. What more is there to discuss?"

"You know that there's a lot coming."

"I was planning on ignoring it."

"That won't help you. You need someone to understand what you feel or your strength will fail and your demon side will prevail."

Sabrina shivered slightly.

"Hagrid would be willing to talk. He knows what it's like to be half-breed," Drew said. He paused and thought. "Chris would also be able to talk."

Sabrina didn't know whether to laugh or be stunned. "Chris? Chris refuses to talk to me about anything. He seems to hate everything about everyone in the family. The only person he ever talks to is… Hagrid." Sabrina glanced at Drew, mouth open slightly, before she shook her head. "He thinks that I'm a meddler. I'm lucky to escape with my life every time I talk to him."

"I wasn't… I wasn't aware of that," Drew said. "I thought he just avoided contact with everyone."

"Oh, he does," Sabrina said. "But he can also get a little dangerous. There's a lot power in him, and I'm always afraid that when he locks up his feelings, he stores away some of that power. One day he's going to blow up, and who knows what will be left behind."

"You really think that?"

"I know it."

They reached the Great Hall. "Well, try anyways. He might just regret it if he doesn't get to know you," Drew said before they separated.

Once again, Sabrina considered the mystery man from the future.

"Oy, Sabrina!" Ron called.

Sabrina turned and went over to her friends.

"Where have you been, Sabrina?" Hermione asked.

"Under house arrest," she said. She looked up at the teacher's table. Her aunts and her mother were missing. "They're still gone."

The three others glanced up at the table. "Where'd they go?" Harry questioned.

"It doesn't matter," Sabrina said. "I just thought they'd be back by now." She suddenly noticed that every table was abuzz with more chatter than usual. "What happened?"

"Apparently some Hufflepuff saw a dragon on the grounds," Hermione said. "You mean you didn't hear about it?"

"House arrest, remember? Well, what more is there to the tale?"

"That's it. He says that he saw the dragon flying through the air, and then it just disappeared," Hermione said.

"It sounds like a load of rubbish to me," Ron said. "There were no other witnesses, and dragons cannot simply disappear. Plus, why would a dragon come here? It just doesn't add up."

"Ron, you actually made a good point," Hermione said. She had a sudden desire to kiss him. It was just so… invigorating to see him say something important.

Hermione's feelings washed over Sabrina, warning her that she could be kissing Harry soon.

"So, what has Dumbledore said about all this?" Sabrina asked, drawing Hermione's attention back.

"Well, nothing yet," Hermione said.

"It's probably just a hoax," Sabrina said as she poked her ham. She didn't feel much like eating. Drew's reminder had kind of killed her appetite.

All of a sudden, Ron inhaled his pumpkin juice. Harry slapped him on the back and reduced a possible choking into a coughing fest. Ron wheezed and pointed at something.

"Ron, are you all right?"

He shook his head furiously. "Just look!" he sputtered.

Hermione and Sabrina burst into laughter as they saw what was causing him so much distress. "Oh, that. I was meaning to warn you, but I kind of forgot," Sabrina said.

Wyatt and Ginny were sitting together. Ginny was smiling and blushing a little as they fed each other.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Hermione said.

"No, it isn't!" Ron yelped as Wyatt kissed his sister's hand. "He's touching my baby sister! I'm going to-"

"What can you do, Ron?" Harry said as more of a statement than a question. "He's the most powerful being ever born."

"I will not allow him to put his hands all over Ginny! She's too young to date," Ron growled.

"She's fifteen," Hermione reminded him. "And she's been dating since she was fourteen."

Ron still looked murderous as he stabbed his food, not tearing his eyes away from Ginny and Wyatt. "If he does anything to my sister…" Ron chomped down on a piece of ham.

"Oh, God, not that," Harry said sarcastically. Sabrina and Hermione sniggered.

Ron shot him a look. They all wisely shut up.

Ron chose not to participate in the conversation that followed. He preferred to give Wyatt murderous looks that did not go unnoticed by their target. Ginny saw her brother and pulled Wyatt into a kiss. Ron turned red with anger and almost got up.

The thing is, it's very difficult to get up when a black hole suddenly opens up in the floor.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked and reached for Ron while Sabrina tried to rescue Harry, who was also being sucked into the black hole. The black hole continued to expand, and there was no fighting it. Sabrina clung to Harry as they were drawn into the hole.

_If I'm going to die, at least I'll die holding Harry. _

Spells proved ineffective on the black hole. Nothing could be done as each and every student and teacher at Hogwarts was drawn into certain doom.

It seemed like a good time for last words. "Sabrina, I love you," Harry said as they held onto each other.

"I love you too, Harry," Sabrina said.

They kissed, and then the black hole gulped them down.


	11. Gypsy Enchantment

"Everything is normal on Earth," Mordion told his fellow Reingers. "Hogwarts is perfectly protected. I don't believe that there is any reason to worry about the Charmed Ones." 

"Are you certain?" Vierran questioned. She still felt as though there was something very wrong happening on Earth.

"Yes," Mordion said. "Everything is running smoothly."

Vierran tried to shrug off the feeling, but she couldn't quite shake it. "Have you come to a conclusion concerning Melissa?" she asked, trying to get her mind onto something other than Earth.

"She is telling the truth," Mordion said. "It seems that she will be a part of the next Hand."

"Oh, that's going to be interesting," Vierran said, frowning. Arthur, Martellian, and Fitela were all wearing similar expressions.

"I'm sure that she will learn to control herself," Mordion said. "She'll have to. She tells me that three of the voices seem to come from Earth."

"What makes her think that?"

"The Leader, the Guide, and the Fighter know nothing about the Homeworld," Mordion said. "The Owl, however, appears to be from the Homeworld. The Bannus will be searching for her. We'll have to handle Earth ourselves. Fitela, you should be able to find them easily."

Fitela nodded. "When will be leaving?"

"After we settle things with Melissa," Mordion said. "She's not very interested in becoming a Reigner."

"Well, she's going to have to get used to the idea. If she's hearing voices, she must have a deep connection to the others," Arthur said. "Perhaps we can use that connection to find the others."

"We shall try."

* * *

Sabrina started to awaken. Was she still holding Harry? She was holding something… Something that wasn't Harry. In fact, it wasn't even human. Sabrina opened her eyes to find that she was snuggled into a pillow. _What it all just a dream? _Disappointment filled her. She sighed and sat up… then gasped. She was in some sort of a cabin. _Okay. I'm not at Hogwarts, and I'm not at home. So where am I? _She tried to remember anything that would give her a clue. She could only remember being sucked into the black hole and then waking up in this place. _Get out of bed and look around. _Ah, yes. That would probably help her.

Sabrina slipped out of bed and looked around the room. There really wasn't much in the room, save for a trunk filled with clothes. Glancing down at her odd nightgown, Sabrina came up with the brilliant idea of getting dressed before she ventured out of the room. She pulled out the clothing and was rather annoyed when she found that the only available clothes were a bunch of dresses. They were rather old fashioned, too. Complete with… corsets? Sabrina grimaced but zapped the dress on anyway. Something weird was going on, and she had to go along with it until she figured it out.

Cautiously, Sabrina opened the door and walked out of the room. She came face to face with Prue, who smiling. She was wearing a dress that resembled Sabrina's. That was weird, but there was something off about her smile…

"I see you're finally up," Prue said. "You just missed your father."

Sabrina nearly fell over. "M-my father?"

"Of course."

"But… but my father is dead," Sabrina said.

"Dead? Sarah, that is ridiculous. You must have had a bad dream," Prue said, patting Sabrina on the head.

"Did you just call me Sarah, Aunt Prue?"

"Well, that is your name, Sarah," Prue said, laughing a little. "Why did call me 'Aunt Praise'? You used to call me mother."

Sabrina's mouth dropped open. "Okay, have you gone crazy? One: you are my aunt, the sister of my mother, Phoebe Halliwell. Two: your name is Prudence, not Praise. Three: my name is Sabrina. And four: Cole Turner, my father, died before I was born."

Prue pressed her hand against Sabrina's forehead. "Are you feeling well, Sarah? You're not hot, but you're saying such strange things. I am your mother, Sarah, and your father is fine. He's not the Cole Turner that you speak of. He is Andrew Perry. And the only Halliwell I know is an old maid named Paget Halliwell. She is certainly not related to you in any way." Prue paused and considered her 'daughter'. "Come and eat breakfast. I believe your dreams have run away with you, but a good meal should fix that."

Sabrina numbly followed Prue to the table. _My aunt has lost her mind. Strange. Aunt Prue's always been the stable one. So what does this have to do with this cabin? And the clothes? _Sabrina racked her brain, trying to figure out where she had seen such a setting before. Everything was so old fashioned. It was quite clear that they had gone back in time. She vaguely remembered learning about this setting in muggle school, but she couldn't recall the time period. She had always hated history class. Now she was starting to wish that she had paid attention. __

She kept thinking about it, but she was going to need more information if she was going to make an educated guess. She could ask Prue… but Prue already thought that she was the crazy one. Still, she could ask about the year… "P - er, mother, what year is it?"

"Why, 1775, of course," Prue answered.

"And the month?"

"March." She examined Sabrina again. "You've been acting oddly ever since we came to the New World, Sarah. Is it because you miss England?"

"Yes. I really miss England." Sabrina was stuck in the past, and she was caught in what would eventually become the United States. And soon, the American Revolution would begin. She had to get out there.

* * *

Sabrina walked towards the home of Paget Halliwell. She had asked her 'mother' for information about Paget, and she had been told that Paget was an apothecary who lived alone. Prue had been reluctant, but she had also told Sabrina where to find her. It appeared that Sabrina was the only one who realized that they were in the past, so it was up to her to get them out of there. But first, she had to find all of her family.

She knocked on the door of Paget Halliwell's home and saw a small sign that proclaimed: 'Paget Halliwell, apothecary'. The door opened immediately.

"Philo - oh, hello, child."

Sabrina had found Paige.

"You are the daughter of Andrew Perry, aren't you?" Paige said, looking her up and down.

"Yes, I'm Sab - Sarah Perry." Sabrina suspected that 'Andrew' was in fact Drew. That was a really creepy thought.

"It is good to meet you, Sarah. Come in. What brings you here?" Paige asked as Sabrina walked in.

"I'm actually here for some information," Sabrina said, looking around at the herb-filled home.

"Ah. I suppose you want to know something that your mother wouldn't tell you," Paige said, smiling a knowing smile.

"Yes," Sabrina said, feeling a bit relieved that Paige at least seemed willing to talk to her. _She may not be Paige anymore, but she still has a big mouth. _"I'd like to know if there's anyone around here with the last name Black." While questioning Prue, Sabrina had just thrown out the name 'Black'. She hadn't expected Prue to turn white and tell her to never mention that name again.

Paige's looked turned grim. "You haven't heard the rumors around them, have you?" she said softly. It was more of a statement than a question.

"No," Sabrina said. "Please, tell me about them. At least tell me their names."

"Simon Black and his wife, Philomena Black, live on the outskirts of this town," Paige said in a hushed voice. "People say that Philomena has gypsy blood in her, and so no one trusts her or Simon."

"You were expecting Philomena Black," Sabrina said, recalling the cutoff greeting.

"Yes, I was," Paige said. "Philomena may have gypsy blood in her, but she is no thief or vagabond. She is a dear friend of mine."

"Almost like a sister?"

Paige smiled. "Indeed. I have no one else that I can call my friend. The people of this town do not trust me either. They think that I am irregular, for I support myself and live alone."

"I don't think that's unusual," Sabrina said. "Thank you for telling me about Philomena. Do you know of anyone with the last name 'Wyatt'?"

"The Wyatt family is one of the most respected families in the entire colony," Paige said. "They are quite wealthy. They live in the large house down the road. I'm surprised you don't know them."

"Well, I don't really pay much attention to the world around me," Sabrina said. "The lady of the Wyatt house wouldn't happen to be named Piper, would she?"

"No, but that's close. Her name is Pippa Wyatt. Her husband is Leon Wyatt. They have two sons named Matthew and Christopher," Paige informed her.

"How do you know all this?"

"I don't have much to occupy my time, Sarah," Paige answered. "And it's difficult to keep any secrets in this town."

"Well, thank you. I have to leave now, but I want you to know that I really appreciate this information," Sabrina said.

"It was nothing, Sabrina… Sarah." Paige looked confused by the slip.

Sabrina silently rejoiced as she left. _Now I know where my mother and Aunt Piper are. _She still didn't understand why everyone around her believed that they were a part of the past. The situation seemed very suspicious. The black hole was obviously what had taken them back to the past, but it still didn't add up. Time didn't just rip open randomly. And it certainly wouldn't make them believe that they were a part of the past. No, something was off, and Sabrina had a feeling that the Cian Master had a hand in all this.

Her train of thought crashed as she saw Harry. He was looking quite nice in his new wardrobe. He was walking with… Remus Lupin? Sabrina blinked a few times. _Lupin was nowhere near Hogwarts when that black hole opened up. _Another realization dawned on her. _Mom and the aunts weren't there either. They were at that place I found. That place had a field of influence. But what does it have to do with the black hole? _Sabrina was stumped.

"Sarah!"

It took Sabrina a moment to remember that she was Sarah. She turned around. Hermione was walking towards her. Sabrina glanced around. Everyone she could see was from Hogwarts. _Everyone at Hogwarts, all Halliwells, and Lupin… what's the connection?_

"Hermione," Sabrina said and met her halfway.

"You got my name wrong, silly," Hermione said.

"Oh… uh…" _What name is similar to Hermione? _

"Helen, would you wait up?" Ron came up to them.

"Reignald, you are too slow," Hermione declared. "Where's Henry?"

_If Hermione's Helen and Ron's Reignald, then Henry must be Harry, _Sabrina concluded.

"He's over there, with his father," Ron said.

"His father?" Sabrina repeated, incredulous.

"Of course. He's right there." Hermione pointed him out.

"Oh," Sabrina said, realizing that Lupin was acting as Harry's father in this new reality. _What in blue blazes is going on here? _

"Ah, Henry. How are you doing today?" Hermione greeted Harry.

"Fairly well, but my father is acting very oddly," Harry said, casting a concerned look at Lupin.

"Really? How so?" Sabrina was hoping that someone else was in their right mind. _Please, please, please._

"He kept calling me Harry, and he was surprised when I called him father," Harry explained.

"Are you kidding me? I think I hear the hallelujah chorus," Sabrina said.

"What are you talking about, Sarah?" Ron asked.

"You wouldn't understand." She flicked her fingers. All activity stopped. _At least my powers still work. _She paused. _If I'm in the past, my powers shouldn't work. This is very suspicious. _She ran over to Lupin and unfroze him. "Don't burn me at the stake for saying this, but are you a wizard?" she asked.

"Of course I'm a wizard, Sabrina," Lupin said.

Sabrina hugged him. "Thank you so much. You actually know my name." She released him. "If you're about to ask me what the hell is going on, I have no idea."

"I see. Do you know why Harry thinks I'm his father?" He glanced at the frozen Harry.

"Somehow, we have all been put into little families," Sabrina said. "I'm now the daughter of Drew Perry and Prue."

"Drew Perry? The visitor from the future?"

"That's the one. How do you know him?"

"Dumbledore told the Order about him," Lupin said.

"Hmm. Okay, why are we the only ones who can remember the truth?" Sabrina wondered.

"It might have to do with the fact that we're both not entirely human," Lupin said.

"But what difference would that make?"

"We both have more animalistic features that make us more likely to survive," Lupin explained. "As a result, it's easier for us to sense deception."

"Who else would not be fooled?" Sabrina wondered. "Hagrid! He's part giant. But where would he be?"

"I don't think it will be too hard to find him."

"True," Sabrina agreed. "Do you still have your wand?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go find him." She started to walk away, but Lupin stopped her.

"Are you just going to leave them like this?" He gestured towards the frozen people.

"I guess not."

"You have to get back into place," Lupin reminded her.

Sabrina sighed and got back into her original position. She then flicked her fingers. "I have to go talk with my mother. I'll see you guys later." She went back to Lupin.

"How many people were brought here?" Lupin said, looking at the numerous students.

"Everyone at Hogwarts," Sabrina replied. "Sirius is here too, but he's known as Simon Black. My mother's apparently married to him. She's called Philomena Black. She's reportedly a gypsy."

"Who told you all this?"

"Paget Halliwell. That's Paige. She's an apothecary and she knows everything about everyone," Sabrina said.

"Well… If it isn't Sarah Perry."

"Malfoy?" Sabrina whipped around, skirt flying. "What do you want?"

"Only to say good morning to this town's most lovely resident," Malfoy said, smiling.

Malfoy was smiling? It wasn't a smirk or a sneer. "Most… lovely…" Sabrina regained her stature. "Have you gone mad, Malfoy?"

"I most certainly haven't. You needn't call me by such a formal name, Miss Perry. Call me Drake."

"Whatever. I'm leaving now."

"Perhaps you could leave me with a kiss…"

Sabrina's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. She flicked her fingers and backed away from Malfoy. "Oh dear Merlin," Sabrina said. "He did not just say that!" She unfroze Lupin and looked to him. "Please tell me that I momentarily lost my mind."

"Looks like you have an admirer," Lupin said.

Sabrina made a face. "Ew. That is the nastiest thing ever." She shuddered. "Frightening. I think I'm going to be scarred for life." She turned her gaze on Harry, trying to cancel it out. _Think of Harry. _She thought of the kiss they had shared and felt a little better. "Let's get out of here now." She unfroze the scene and put as much distance between her and Malfoy as possible.

"Wait, I see him," Lupin said.

Sabrina halted and grinned. Hagrid was there. "Hagrid!"

Hagrid saw them. "You're the first one today to call me by the right name," Hagrid said. "Everybody's been calling me Heath."

"Well, something weird is going on. It probably wouldn't be best to talk about this here…" Lupin said.

Hagrid nodded. "I seem to have gotten a new home. We'll talk there." He led them to his house.

"All right. Hagrid, do you remember the black hole?" Sabrina questioned.

"Yeah. I couldn't forget a thing like that," Hagrid said.

"Well, I got sucked into the black hole with everyone else," Sabrina said. "Then I woke up here, with my aunt as my mother and future boy as my father. Prue told me that it's March of 1775 and that we're in the New World."

"We're in the past?" Hagrid said.

"I don't think so," Sabrina said. "My powers work. If we were in the past, my powers wouldn't exist. I believe that we're still in the same time. The question is, where are we? I thought that we could be in an alternate reality, but we wouldn't replace anyone if we went to another world."

"Unless we're the only ones who were drawn here," Lupin said.

Sabrina shook her head. "That couldn't be. That black hole took all of us." She paused. "The Cian Master collected Barbus's powers recently."

"What does this have to do with fear?" Hagrid questioned.

"Nothing," Sabrina said. "What's important about that it that is he's stealing powers. There are demons that can create illusions. I think that he created an illusion."

"He couldn't have fooled all these people with just that power, though," Lupin pointed out. "If he has that power, he must be drawing on an incredible source of magic, not just another demon."

"Earlier today I found this abandoned town that has a huge field of influence," Sabrina told them. "In the basement of one of the houses, I found a door that was guarding something. I only found this place because someone sent a golem to me."

"A golem? They were banned years ago," Lupin said.

"I know. Someone wanted me to find that field," Sabrina continued. "I think they wanted to trap me. I couldn't shimmer out of there and I couldn't zap myself out. I only got out because of my mother. But I don't understand why the person didn't try to kill me."

"Maybe you were only meant to find the place," Hagrid said.

"Well, my mother and the aunts went to go check it out," said Sabrina. "And they didn't come back. My mother knew where the field ended. She should have been able to get out. Maybe they got past the door."

"If they did, something very powerful was released," Lupin said.

"Do you think we're in that field?"

"You said that you couldn't shimmer out of the field," Hagrid stated. "So why don't you try to shimmer?"

Sabrina tried. "I can't do it. The Cian Master probably did this. It's an easy kill, but I don't think he understands the power that he's drawing on. He doesn't know that we are aware of this."

"Then we'll have to play along," Lupin said.

"Great," Sabrina sighed. "I'm stuck in a place with no contact with the outside world and a Malfoy who has the hots for me. Suddenly, facing the Cian Master doesn't seem so bad."

"Malfoy?" Hagrid repeated.

Sabrina buried her face in her hands. "I don't want to talk about it."

* * *

"It would be best if I didn't go with you to see my mother," Sabrina said to Lupin. "Sirius for me is like the moon is for you. It's not a pretty thing."

"Yes, Sirius told me about that," Lupin said. He was looking at Sabrina oddly.

"Um… he didn't tell you anything else, did he?"

"He did say that you and 'someone' are a perfect match," Lupin said.

"In those general terms?"

"Yes. Care to share something?"

"Not really. Well, I'm off to talk to Pippa." She and Lupin went their separate ways. It was rather easy to find the Wyatt house. It was the biggest house around. Sabrina decided that she wasn't going to play around and used her magic to get into the house. She located Piper quickly. Piper and Leo were together. That was good. "Hello. You must be Leon and Pippa Wyatt. You might know the name Perry, and you might know me as Sarah Perry. That is complete lie, but you won't recognize the name Sabrina Halliwell. Now, Pippa, you are a witch. And Leon, you are a whitelighter. You're both caught up in an illusion, but I know what you really are."

Piper stared at Sabrina. She didn't look surprised. In fact, she looked like she had been expecting it. Piper sighed and took Leo's hand. "How much must we pay you for you to keep your silence?"

"I'm not blackmailing you. You know about your powers?"

"Of course I do. I don't know what a whitelighter is, but my husband certainly not one," Piper said. "If you do not want money, what do you want? Authority? A marriage? I'll do anything you want if you promise not to tell anyone."

"I won't tell these people," Sabrina said. "I know they'd try to burn you at the stake. And even though you'd easily be able to handle them, it doesn't seem like you know you can. You can't remember any of it." Sabrina was starting to get frustrated. They were all easy prey for the Cian Master, and no one would listen.

"You want nothing? Why you accusing her, then?" Leo asked.

"You don't get it. And you won't as long as you're still here." Sabrina knew that she had to get everyone out of this place, but no one would listen to her if she tried to get everyone to leave. She pointed at them. "_Obliviate._" They didn't need to go around thinking that she was going to turn them in.

Piper blinked. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"She's my niece."

That voice. Sabrina started to form an energy ball, but stopped herself. She couldn't let him know that she wasn't fooled. She forced herself to speak as the Cian Master walked in. "Uncle. It is good to see you."

"Sarah. What a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you here," the Cian Master said.

Sabrina's heart was racing. "Nor was I expecting you, Uncle." She was at the mercy of the Cian Master, but he wasn't going to kill her. No… that would ruin the façade.

"Oh, I remember you now," Piper said. "You're Praise's daughter."

"That is correct."

"Caden, do come and sit down," Leo said.

_Don't do that! Fight him! _It took all of Sabrina's self-control to not go after the Cian Master. He wouldn't be expecting an attack… "Well, I must leave now," Sabrina said.

"I'll take you to your mother," the Cian Master said.

"I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"It's no bother at all."

She couldn't refuse him again. He would suspect something. "Very well." And she walked out with the Cian Master at her side.


	12. Beware What You Wish

**A/N: thank you, KittyTigerLily (x2), Xanthie, and charmedsisters for reviewing. KittyTigerLily: my lips are sealed when it comes to the Follower… Xanthie: wow. I feel proud. I got someone hooked on my story! Hope you like this new chapter. Charmedsisters: thank you, thank you! I'm wondering, though. Am I now writing for three people? Do I have silent readers, or am I just a loser? Hmm… **

**Perhaps this is a sign that I've been reading too many crossovers and watching too many D12 videos. The other night, I dreamed that Eminem got caught up in the Charmed universe. His daughter was a witch, and she had a whitelighter named Angela… It was rather odd. That alone shows you just how weird my mind is. **

**Getting back to a more sensible crossover…**

"Well, thank you for bringing her home, Caden," Prue said, smiling.

_Kill him, kill him, kill him now! _Sabrina chanted in her head. It was getting harder and harder to fight the urge to scream that. The most powerful demon since the Source was standing right in front of her, and she could nothing about it. They were sitting ducks for the Cian Master. Desperate, Sabrina looked to her 'father', but Drew was totally at ease. He would be of no help.

She resigned herself to thinking about killing the Cian Master. Drew seemed to be the only one who had an edge on the Cian Master, but he currently thought that he was blacksmith. Sabrina tried to think of what Drew had used to scare off the Cian Master. It had been a potion. That was no help. She didn't know what could be in it. And it probably wasn't even a vanquishing potion. If it had been, Drew would have just given it to the sisters or at least vanquished the Cian Master on his own. But what if he didn't intend to vanquish the Cian Master?

Sabrina took a deep breath and counted to ten. Things were getting far too complicated. For now, she would just have to trust Drew and believe that he was good. And hopefully, he really was.

"I like to watch out for my niece," the Cian Master said, giving Sabrina a fond look.

_He is a really good actor, _Sabrina decided. She couldn't see any traces of hatred in his look. He had probably worked hard on that. Last time Sabrina had met up with him, he had had hatred written all over his face. But now, the Cian Master actually seemed pleased at her presence. Sabrina suppressed a shudder. She would be so happy when she got to vanquish him.

"But now, I'm afraid I must leave," the Cian Master continued. "I have some important business to attend to."

Sabrina breathed a subtle sigh of relief as Drew and Prue bid the Cian Master farewell.

"Sarah, what were you doing at the Wyatt home?" Prue asked once the Cian Master had left.

"Um, well, I wanted to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt," Sabrina said, being as vague as possible. She was telling the truth, but she had no idea what she was going to say if Prue pressed her for more information.

The sides of Prue's mouth twitched. Her face was stony. Sabrina knew that she was being troubled by something.

"Not Matthew Wyatt, right?" Drew asked.

"Right. I didn't even see him," Sabrina said, wondering what was so troubling about Wyatt. "Why?"

"You know why, Sarah," Drew said. "I know that you think the idea of… magic is fascinating, but talking about it here will get you into trouble. Don't listen to what Matthew Wyatt tells you. Doing so will only get you killed."

"And we wouldn't be able to stand that," said Prue softly.

"Okay," Sabrina said. "But have ever you thought that magic might be real? What if it is? I mean…"

Drew held up a hand to stop her. "Your mother and I would never condemn someone, even a witch, but the people of this town will. Don't ever speak of witchcraft and that nonsense. Please." His voice was low and a little pained. It was strange for Sabrina to have a male figure who cared so much about her.

His request seemed so heart-felt that Sabrina had to agree to it. "Sure. I won't talk about it."

"Thank you, Sarah."

"No problem." Sabrina paused for a while. "I think I'll retire now. Is that all right?"

"Of course," Prue said. She gave Sabrina a warm look, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Sabrina went into her room and closed the door behind her. She stood there for a few moments, lost in thought. It felt good to have a fatherly figure, even if it was just a façade. The only person who had come close to being a fatherly figure to her was Leo, but she had never really seen him as that. He was just Uncle Leo to her. Nothing more.

_Could things have been different? _she wondered, sitting on the edge of her bed. _Is there any way my mother could have brought my father back? _Her lower lip trembled as she thought of that. _No. He was beyond saving. My mother did all she could. My father chose evil over me, _she thought mechanically.A silent tear made its way down her cheek. She had never cried for her father. She had thought of Cole Turner often, but she had never cried for him. She had never missed him. How could she? She'd never even met him. She had always believed that he was some wonderful figure, but her recent fight with her demon side had opened her up to the truth. Her father had lived the life of a demon, and he had died a demon. Sabrina felt nothing when her demon side came forth. So her father had felt nothing when he had returned evil.

_But the human side of my father felt,_ Sabrina reminded herself. _The human side of Cole loved my mother. Maybe the human in my father even loved me. But the demon won out over the human. _Her blood suddenly ran cold as a realization hit her. The demon side within herself could easily win out over the witch part of her. It was already taking her muggle traits. What if it took all traces of her humanity?

Phoebe had once told Sabrina that human in Cole had fought against the demon because he had had a family. A wonderful wife and a baby on the way. Cole had been very strong, and not just because of his demon side. Sabrina didn't have the same strength that he had had, and she didn't have such driving forces. Would she even stand a chance?

_Think about the illusion, _part of herself said.

_No, _Sabrina thought angrily. She wanted to work through this. She deserved a chance to finally look at all the things that she had kept locked up inside.

_Where can I find my strength? What will drive me to fight against the demon in me? _She thought of her family and friends, but she wasn't convinced that they would be enough. She needed strength coming from within as well, and she didn't know if she had that. At that moment, she was feeling completely weak and miserable. She was more likely to find a confidant in Sirius than she was to find strength in herself.

_But Sirius was my confidant for a while, _she reminded herself. She almost smiled. _However, that wasn't because I trusted him. _Yet she had trusted Sirius. She had put her life into his paws… er, hands. She had been dependent on him. He hadn't let her get in harm's way and had even defended her against Malfoy. She finally cracked a smile. Plus, she was trusting him with her secret. Sabrina wouldn't have been surprised if he had told Harry immediately, but she knew that he hadn't, mostly because Harry couldn't be subtle. She had also talked to Moose about her insecurities and secret wishes, such as her wish to have a father. She now worried about how the choice of 'a father' instead 'her father' had affected Sirius.

_Why _did_ I say that? _That little word probably wouldn't mean much to other people, but it meant everything to Sabrina. Did she want her father, or did she want a father? If Sirius had raised her, would she see him as her father? Would Cole then just be her biological father… just 'a' father? What would that say about her? Did genes not matter when it came to the love and caring that someone could provide? _Would Sirius have treated me better than my own father would have?_

Then a more startling question arose in her mind. _Has he already?_

* * *

_Hello? Hello? HELLO?? _All morning long, Sabrina had been trying to contact the other voices. So far, she had had no luck. Now she was starting to get worried. Perhaps she was losing her gift. Her great-grandmother had eventually lost her ability, so it was perfectly plausible. _Uh-uh. No way. I will die without my voices! Shadow? Teacher? Follower? Son? Where are you? HELLOOOOO?_

She finally gave up, deciding that they were still asleep. The voices could have been living halfway across the world for all she knew. Maybe they were in a time zone where it was still night. Sabrina took some comfort in that and promised that she would check again in a few hours.

"Hey, mom, I'm going go talk to Lupin," Sabrina said, completely forgetting to make her words sound more sophisticated.

"Elder or younger?" Prue asked, eyeing Sabrina. "I know you rather like Henry Lupin…"

"Elder."

"I would let you go, but it seems that you need an update on your propriety," Prue said.

"My propriety? What's wrong with it?"

"For one, your dress is not very modest," Prue responded. "Who gave that dress anyways? It has no corset."

"I got rid of the corset," Sabrina said, looking down at her dress. "And I'm pretty tempted to forgo the dress completely and get some pants."

Prue gasped. Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Pants? You'd dress like a man?"

"I'd love to," Sabrina said. "This dress is so uncomfortable."

"I see that the situation is even worse than I thought. You'd actually wear pants." She shook her head.

"You should try them sometime," Sabrina stated. "Well, what are your other beefs with my propriety?"

"I beg your pardon? Beefs?"

"That is, what are your other complaints?"

"You're slouching," Prue said and adjusted Sabrina's posture. "You must sit and stand as though your spine were on a thread held by God himself."

Sabrina raised her eyebrow. "Okay. Anything else?"

"Stand. Lately, you've been walking so ungracefully," Prue said. "What happened to all those lessons you went through with me?"

"They seem to have slipped my mind."

"You'll never get married if that becomes a habit. There are several men interested in you, Sarah, but they will never see you as a wife if you forget proper etiquette."

_Ah, yes. This is long before enlightened times. Now the only thing a woman can do is be married off and have children. What fun. _Sabrina was severely tempted to say that, but she held her tongue.

"And yesterday, I actually saw you running."

"I was chasing after Lupin," Sabrina protested.

"You must never chase after a man, Sarah," Prue said lightly. "They must come to you."

"I would never make Lupin come to me. Henry Lupin, maybe, but not Lupin. He's old enough to be my father."

"But he would make a good husband," Prue murmured, seeming to be lost in thought.

"Hey now. Don't you go there. I will not marry Lupin."

"You should keep all options open, Sarah," Prue said. "I believe you would prefer him to Master Malfoy."

"He's not a suitor, is he?" Sabrina asked, full of dread.

"His father has expressed an interest in such a marriage."

Sabrina's eye twitched. She had a feeling that that was going to become permanent.

"Let's get back to etiquette, though."

_Someone save me from this crazy world! _But the voices weren't there to sympathize. Sabrina sighed. This illusion really, really sucked.

* * *

"I like the power that goes along with the position, but I don't think I really like the responsibility," Melissa said, cracking her gum. She was wearing Earth clothes. 'Punk' was what she called the style. She hadn't dressed specially for the trip to Earth, even though Arthur and Fitela had. Melissa chose to wear Earth clothes. She was completely obsessed with Earth. She had rejected her real name and had picked out the Earth name 'Melissa', much to the dismay of her parents. Her title, the Rebel, perfectly suited her.

"I hated the responsibility at first," Fitela said, "but you get used to it in time. I promise." Even though only he had been scheduled to go with Melissa, Mordion had decided that two Reigners would go. He had concerns about the Cian Master, and Arthur had agreed.

"I don't know. The Leader and I seem to fight a lot," Melissa said.

"Have you been fighting lately?" Arthur asked.

"No," Melissa admitted, "but here's the weird thing. I haven't been able to contact the Leader, the Guide, or the Fighter in the last few days. I've only been able to talk to the Owl. Do you think something's up on Earth?"

Fitela and Arthur exchanged a glance. "Perhaps."

They then stepped into the portal and started on their way to Earth.

* * *

"Birdhouse. Birdhouse. What does this have to do with anything?" Sabrina popped some popcorn into her mouth. She was lying on her bed, studying a smaller version of the horrible chalkboard. She had actually gotten so bored that she had turned to the family secret for entertainment. Prue wouldn't allow her to go over to Lupin and Hagrid, saying that she needed an escort. "At least I have some more of the puzzle." She made a face and continued on. "Mfire. What's another word for fire?" She went through all the synonyms she could think of, but none of them made sense. "Well, moving on. Something something… heart minus L. Heart. Are they talking about love or something? Wait. Love? That begins with L!"

"I declare thee a genius. Now give me some popcorn."

"Here." Sabrina didn't even bother to look at Salem as she handed him a handful of popcorn. "Love minus L would be ove. That sounds like of!" Her senses hit her. She blinked, then looked at Salem. "Salem? What are you doing here? How do you still have your memory?"

"All I know is that I got sucked into a black hole," Salem said.

"Oh, right, you're an animal."

"Some have said that of me," Salem said proudly.

Sabrina stared.

Salem cleared his throat. "Anyway, why does that matter?"

"People who aren't entirely human aren't affected by this illusion," Sabrina explained. "You must have noticed that something was off."

"When are things ever normal at Hogwarts?"

Sabrina opened her mouth to argue, but he was right. "You may have a point there. Well, everyone thinks that it's the year 1775 and that we're in the colonies."

"Uh oh. That's not good."

"Good news: we're not really in the past. Bad news: the Cian Master is creating the illusion," Sabrina said.

"And you're sitting here, eating popcorn and trying to figure out the family secret," Salem said. "Why even bother with the family secret?"

"Because I want to get my witch's license. I've figured out one word."

"Be still, my beating heart."

Sabrina glared at him. "I'm slowly making progress. So far, the family secret is: birdhouse mfire of the plant well Fay Wray me Robert E. Lee snake."

"And what of that makes sense?"

"Something something of the something something something."

"You'll get far with that one, young grasshopper," Salem said.

Sabrina threw popcorn at his head. "I'm working on it. Do you know another word for birdhouse?"

"Yes, but I am not going to get a zipper mouth again, especially not if the sisters don't know they're witches."

"Telling me another word won't trigger that," Sabrina said.

"I'm not going to take that chance."

"Fine. I'll just get a thesaurus." She pointed and a thesaurus appeared on her bed. "Okay. Birdhouse. Avery. Avery something of the something. I have to figure the next word out first. Mfire." She looked through the thesaurus, but she couldn't come up with a synonym. Looking at the related words, though, she found something interesting. "Ember. Vowels are good. So… maybe it's member?" She looked up to Salem, but he ignored her. "Fine. Be that way. Avery member of the plant well. Avery member. Avery, avery, every! Every member of the!" She smiled, pleased with herself. "I'm getting pretty good at this."

Salem scoffed.

"You know, I still have my magic," Sabrina said sourly. Salem reverted to his former silent state. "Okay. Moving on. Plant well. Wait, that's holly. It's holly plus well. Hollywell? Halliwell! I must have a talent at this."

Salem made an odd noise in his throat, but Sabrina chose not to interpret it as a putdown.

"Fay Wray Me Robert E. Lee. Fay. Me. And Lee. Fay me and Lee." Sabrina was having a pretty good time with the rhyme. "Fay me Lee. Every member of the Halliwell Fay me Lee." She stopped. "Faymelee. Family. Every member of the Halliwell family snake." There she caught a snag. "A snake. Does that have to do with Slytherin?" Malfoy jumped up into her mind. "Merlin, I hope not. Unless… Maybe Malfoy's weird behavior has something to do with the family secret. Maybe-"

Her sentence was cut short by a knock at the door.

"Sarah, are you ready to go?"

"Go? Go where?" Sabrina questioned as she hastily sent away the modern things that she had summoned.

"To the town meeting, of course."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm ready to go." She stood up and adjusted her dress. She then picked up Salem and opened the door. "Let's go."

"You found the cat? Well, you should put him back outside. He'll bring fleas into the house," Prue said as she walked away.

"Fleas?" Salem exclaimed. "I-"

Sabrina clamped his mouth shut.

"What was that, Sarah?"

"Nothing, mother," Sabrina said. "So, anything special scheduled for the meeting?"

"Not that I know of," Prue replied.

"There will be," Sabrina muttered under her breath.

Drew emerged and they set out on their walk to the town hall.

"What are you planning on doing?" Salem whispered.

"I'm planning to jolt them back into their senses," Sabrina whispered back. "If I tell them all the truth, things might turn out for the better."

"But they might also turn out for the worse."

"I'll just have to take that chance." Sabrina deposited Salem on the ground before continuing on into the town hall. Within the walls, Sabrina was quite pleased to see the familiar faces of her professors, including Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore, Sabrina had learned, was the leader of their town. He was known as Dunstan. His wife was McGonagall. Sabrina found that tidbit to be especially interesting. But something that interested Sabrina more was the fact that half the adults in the room weren't real. She could easily see that they were illusions. Drew and Prue led her to the seats and they sat. _I guess the Cian Master was short on adults. _

Suddenly, Sabrina noticed that everyone around her was whispering. Three people had just entered the hall…. Sirius, Phoebe, and a first year whose name escaped Sabrina. _What's she doing with them? _she wondered.

"It's them!" one of the fake parents whispered. "Simon and Philomena. They even brought that Phoenix girl with them!"

"Well, she is their daughter," another fake parent murmured back. "She's probably as odd as her parents."

_Daughter? No. I'm Phoebe's daughter. I'm her daughter. _Jealousy jumped up in her. Phoenix was able to be with her mother, but she couldn't even get near her because of those stupid demon instincts. Sabrina crossed her arms and stared straight ahead, wondering if looks could kill. Just in case, she kept her gaze on the Cian Master, who seemed to be Dumbledore's right hand man, as the meeting began.

"It is my unfortunate duty to announce this," Dumbledore began, "but I must say it. We have a witch in our town."

Everyone in the hall gasped and looked around, whispering.

"Caden Perry has informed me of this," Dumbledore said. "He saw the witch performing her craft, but he did not get to see her face. It is up to everyone to find the witch and bring her to justice."

The whispers were growing in volume and becoming more panicked.

"Philomena!" someone cried. "Philomena Black must be the witch!"

All the townspeople turned toward Phoebe, who stared calmly back.

"This is a serious accusation," Dumbledore said. "Can anyone provide evidence of this?"

"She has admitted her gypsy heritage," the same woman said. "The gypsies are drawn to witchcraft and devil worship like a moth to a flame. And so she must be thrown into the flame!"

There were cries of agreement.

Sabrina stood up. "That is not evidence," she said in a loud voice. "Philomena Black is not the witch you seek. She is an honorable woman, and she will not be thrown into the flame. There is a witch present, though."

"And whom do you accuse?" the Cian Master said, sounding slightly amused.

Sabrina smiled. "Myself. I am a witch."

**A/N: attack of the cliffhangers!!!!!!!! Whee! As you can tell, I've had too much sugar. Or not enough. Either way, I haven't just the right amount. (Anyone know where that's from?) If Melissa is still reading this fic, you are now an official character! Hope you like her. I would love to get some more reviews, so please review! Or my muse might take a much longer break. I think it feeds on reviews. Hint hint Anywho, I've got cold pizza waiting for me. So in summary: review!!!!**


	13. Legacy of Merlin

**A/N: it's been that long? Yikes. Well, thank you, charmedsisters, Phoenix5143, KittyTigerLily, and Tabitha78 for reviewing. Charmedsisters: thank you so much! You're in this chapter. I hope you like the character. Phoenix5413: much more to read here. And thanks! KittyTigerLily: Sabrina didn't really go mad… but she's pretty close. Here's some more writing, so don't cry! Tabitha78: thank you! Yes, this is a little complicated, especially if you've never read Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones… which you probably haven't. As for the identities of the voices, all will be revealed in good time.**

**Okay… I'm hoping that I won't offend any of my loyal readers, but this chapter will introduce some hints of slash. More in depth stuff (just kissing) will come later. This pairing just hit me, and I couldn't deny it. **

"This is completely unnecessary," Sabrina said. She was being tied to a stake. Sticks were gathered at the base of the stake. "Honestly, do you really think that you can burn me?" The situation was slightly amusing, really.

"Shut up, witch," one of the unreal men said and finished the knot.

"No!" Prue screamed. "Please, she was just joking. Leave my child alone!" Two men were restraining her. Tears were streaming down Prue's face. She was almost hysterical. Sabrina had never seen her like this.

"I'm going to be fine," Sabrina called to her.

Suddenly, Drew broke free from his captors and ran toward Sabrina. The crowd rushed upon him and stopped him before he could reach her.

Sabrina smirked as the men lit the sticks. She debated which method she was going to use before she decided to use an element. But first she wanted to mess with her persecutors. "OH! I REPENT! SAVE ME! SAVE ME!" She waited a beat, then melted into water. The flames were extinguished. She quickly morphed back into herself and stood facing the crowd, smiling.

The crowd made no noise. They were frozen with shock and terror.

"It's a miracle!" she hollered.

Almost everyone screamed and started to run away. Sabrina flicked her fingers, freezing them. She then raised her index finger and zapped the stake away. "Good. Now for a good rhyme. Um… In this illusion the Cian Master basks… to please the illusion, forget this and go about your daily tasks." It wasn't the best incantation possible, but it worked. When she flicked her fingers, everyone wandered back into town.

Everyone, that is, except Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Now, the first thing Sabrina noticed about them was the fact that they looked really confused. They were looking around wordlessly, obviously unsure of their surroundings. The other thing that Sabrina noticed about them came courtesy of her demon-awareness. She sensed the same condition in them that she sensed in Lupin and Hagrid. The combination of these two things made Sabrina dare to hope the impossible. She walked toward them, hoping…

"Sabrina?" Hermione hesitantly said. "Where are we?"

"You know my name," Sabrina whispered, feeling close to tears of joy.

"Uh… of course she does, Sabrina," Ron said, looking Sabrina like she was crazy. "Why wouldn't she?"

Sabrina had never been so happy. "You remember my name too! Okay, do you remember witchcraft?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "We do go to Hogwarts."

Sabrina clasped her hands together and laughed. "Oh! I could kiss you! You remember everything!" Wait a minute. Speaking of kisses, _did_ he remember everything? "Um, what's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember seeing a black hole opening up in the floor," Harry said. He looked to Hermione and Ron. "What about you two?"

"That's the last thing I remember, too," Hermione answered.

"Me too," Ron said.

"Thank you so much," Sabrina said. "You don't know what this means to me."

"Well, maybe you could explain," Hermione said. "Start with where we are."

"We're stuck in an illusion," Sabrina replied.

"What?"

"Yeah… Um, you see…" Sabrina paused, trying to think of the proper way to explain the situation. "This is really complicated. Okay, the Cian Master tapped into some weird source of power to trick us into thinking that we're in the year 1775. He used the black hole to get us here."

"1775?" Hermione repeated. "Well, at least we're not in the United States."

"Actually, we are," Sabrina said. "And we've been put into these little families. Hermione, your mother is McGonagall. She's supposedly a widow. Ron, you have illusionary parents. Harry…" She tried not to laugh. "Your father is Remus Lupin. My 'mother', Prue, wants me to marry him. So I might end up being your stepmother. That is, if Malfoy doesn't claim me first. Oh, and all our names have changed. I'm Sarah. Harry, you're Henry. Hermione, you're Helen. Ron, you're Reignald."

The three stared at her, mouths slightly open.

"Also, my mother is married to Sirius, and they have a daughter named Phoenix. And as if that's not enough, Drew is my father and the Cian Master is - get this - my uncle. Now, I'm sure you're overloaded with information, so let's just head on over to Lupin's to sort all this out." Sabrina smiled pleasantly, then started to walk to Lupin's. She glanced back at her three friends, who had not yet moved. "You three coming?"

Mutely, they followed her. When they had reached Lupin's, Ron finally spoke.

"Malfoy?"

"Let's not get into that," Sabrina said and knocked on Lupin's door. After a few moments, the door opened. "Lupin, I have the greatest, most fabulous news ever." She paused dramatically, wiggling her eyebrows. Finally, she could no longer stand the suspense. "They remember! Do you want to explain everything to them, or shall I?"

"First you should probably come in," Lupin said.

"Right." She led the others into Lupin's house.

"But Sabrina," Ron weakly said. "Malfoy?"

Sabrina caught Ron's eye and twirled her index finger in a counter-clockwise circle. "Skip it, let it go, skip it, you don't want to know."

"Your mother is married to Sirius?" Ron said.

"In the illusion, yes. Now, Lupin, would you like to explain to them?"

---

Paget Halliwell had always only known a lonely life. Orphaned at a young age, she could never claim any true roots. She did not know her parents' names; she didn't know her birthplace. She had wandered into this town at the age of four, covered in blood. She had no memories to tell her exactly how she had come to be in that state. Paget only knew her memories of Penelope Halliwell, the woman who had raised her. Penelope had given her everything - a home, a name, and, most importantly, love. Now that Penelope was gone, Paget was unfamiliar with love… at least a shared love.

Perhaps she did know love, in a way. She knew love in a quieted form. Paget knew love when it was hidden away. Love was one of her many secrets… for the one she loved barely even knew her.

Yet how much did she know about Reuben Lupin? Very little, in fact. Still, she was convinced that she knew certain things about him, certain knowledge that she had obtained through the unexplained conversations that she had in her head.

Yes, conversations _in her head_. Was she mad? It was a possibility. Paget didn't believe that she was mad, though. She fully believed that she was conversing with four very real people. Somehow, she knew that the one she called the Guide was actually Reuben Lupin. Was that merely wishful thinking?

Paget hoped not. The conversations she had had with the Guide meant so much to her. She clung to the conviction that the Guide was Reuben, and she dreamed of the day when she would find out the identities of the four voices. It would be quite easy for her to ask the voices to tell their true identities, but she had long been out of contact with the voices.

_"Guide? Leader? Owl? Rebel?"_

There was no answer.

---

Lupin had explained everything to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This time, the three were not overwhelmed by the mass of information, though Ron was quite confused about the details of the American Revolution.

"Have you tried just leaving?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Sabrina said. "It won't let me get beyond its field of influence."

"So what we going to do?" Harry questioned.

"Nothing," Sabrina replied. "We're safe like this. I don't how I managed to free you three, but I once I figure it out, we'll do something."

"We can't just do nothing," Hermione protested.

"You're absolutely right," Sabrina said. "There's only one thing to do." She then pointed, causing the only logical solution to appear before them.

Hermione eyed the so-called solution. "Eat ice cream?"

"Definitely," Sabrina replied, picking up one of the five large containers of Godiva ice cream and a spoon. "We're too old for temper tantrums and too young for alcohol." She looked to Lupin. "Though you are free to indulge on the latter." Sabrina took in the first spoonful. "Mm. This is truly the answer to all of life's problems."

Sighing, Hermione grabbed one of the containers. She scooped up a spoonful of the rich ice cream and held up the spoon, as if for a toast. "Cheers."

The three males in the room stared at Hermione and Sabrina.

"Oh go on," Hermione said. "You know you want it."

Harry, Ron, and Lupin certainly couldn't argue with that.

---

Half a carton of ice cream later, Sabrina was feeling quite sated. "There's nothing better than a nice ice cream binge."

"I must admit that is true," Hermione said. She seemed a little tense, which Sabrina could understand.

"Of course it is." A few moments of silence passed. Then, Hermione suddenly took Sabrina's hand and forced her power to work. "You know," Sabrina said, "you could just ask me to freeze time."

"Yes, well…" Hermione looked at Ron. "Sabrina, I…"

"You what?"

"I kissed Ron!" Hermione blurted. "And I told him that I love him. He obviously doesn't remember, but what if he does? I don't even know why I said it. I mean, sure, we were being sucked into a black hole, but how does that justify my actions?"

"The pact we made justifies your actions," Sabrina said, rather sheepishly.

"The pact?" Realization dawned on her. "You kissed Harry!"

"Yes, I did."

"How was it?"

"Amazing," Sabrina sighed. "And don't worry about Ron remembering. I'm sure he won't."

"But I just…"

Hermione's words became nothing but echoes in Sabrina's head. Her vision was fading. She felt like she was being drawn back. She was going out of herself. Pain then erupted through her body. She heard herself cry out, then felt Hermione holding onto her.

"Sabrina!"

Control gradually came back to Sabrina. Shades of the pain remained with her. She knew what this meant. She jumped to her feet and ran over to the door.

"Sabrina, what-"

"No," Sabrina growled in a low, harsh voice. She grabbed onto the frame of the door as more pain hit her. She then threw open the door and stumbled out.

Inside the house, Hermione went up to the door and immediately noticed the deep scratches… scratches that had not been created by human nails.

Slowly, Sabrina was able to gain complete control over herself. She continued to walk, though, for fear that the demon in her would take over again. She had only gone a few feet before she ran into someone she had been avoiding.

Malfoy.

"I need to talk to you, Sarah," he said.

"Bugger off, Malfoy," Sabrina responded.

"No. I have to talk to you."

Sabrina had a sneaking suspicion that Malfoy wasn't going to go away. "Speak, if you must."

"Not here," Malfoy said, glancing around.

"Where, then?"

"The woods."

---

Christopher was trying to find Sarah Perry. He had been trailing her all day, yet she had still managed to lose him. But he was back on the right track. He had to find Sarah. There was something about her… something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was like he had forgotten something about her. He intended to recover that memory.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

Christopher grinned. He had found Sarah. Silently, he pushed deeper into the forest, following the sound of Sarah's voice. He eventually reached the outer edge of a clearing. Peeking through the brush, he was able to see Sarah. She was facing Drake Malfoy. _Found both of them._

Not that he was tracking Drake.

Because he wasn't.

Even though kept finding himself ending up wherever Drake was.

And even though all his thought processes seemed to lead to ponderings about Drake.

Those things were coincidences, nothing more.

"This isn't about what I want, Sarah," Drake said. "This is about what I need."

"Well, if you need a wife, I am not the one you want," Sarah said. "I do not intend to become Mrs. Drake Malfoy." She seemed to suppress a shudder.

Christopher was surprised. Every woman in the town wanted to become Drake's wife. He had a lot to offer them. He was rich and charming, and he was quite handsome. His family's ruthlessness was known to everyone, but the women did not care. The gold and silver that went with the Malfoy family was more than enough encouragement to the women of the town.

"I don't want you as a wife," Drake said.

"Then why did you… ugh… try to kiss me?"

"I assumed that you would be flattered," said Drake. "I wanted to get on your good side."

"Oh, yes, arrogance is a _really_ appealing trait." Sarah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Now, tell me what you want so that I can say no."

"First, I'm going to tell you a few things that might… inspire you to help me."

Sarah's eyebrows shot up. She made a small noise in her throat. "Such as what?"

"Such as the fact that you are a witch," Drake stated. "You didn't erase my memory."

Aha! Sarah _was_ a witch. Christopher and Matthew had long suspected that Sarah was a witch. They had tried to introduce her to magic, but her mother had kept her away from them.

"And how did you escape my spell?" Sarah inquired. She looked genuinely curious.

Drake looked a bit uncomfortable. "I… I don't like to watch the burnings."

"Hmm… Mister Tough As Nails can't stand to watch a little injustice?" Sarah said.

"I'm not that heartless," Drake sharply said.

"Okay…" Sarah said, seeming to be slightly taken aback. "I'm still not interested."

"Fine then," Drake said. He appeared unaffected by Sarah's disinterest. "What about your parentage?"

This had an impact on Sarah. She stared at Drake, an unbelieving look on her face. "What…" She cleared her throat. "What do you know about my parentage?" she asked, obviously trying to keep her voice steady.

"I know that you're the illegitimate daughter of Cole Turner."

Christopher might have gasped if he hadn't been eavesdropping. Cole Turner was Sarah's father? Cole Turner, one of the most influential figures in all the colonies, was her father? Christopher knew that Cole Turner was married with several children. He would definitely take any measures to ensure that Sarah did not come forward about her parentage. Plus there was the fact that Praise Perry would be dishonored. Christopher knew that Sarah was going to give in.

"I can just erase your memory," Sarah said. However, her voice lacked confidence.

"I've taken precautions against that," Drake said. "My father knows, and I have written it down. If you don't agree to help me, I'll announce your parentage to the whole town. Just imagine what might happen to your mother."

Strangely, Sarah chuckled. "Ah, here's the Malfoy I know and despise. You're blackmailing me."

"That's such an ugly term," Drake said.

"But it's what you're doing."

"Do you agree to help me?"

"I really have no choice, now do I?" Sarah said.

Drake smirked. "Good. I was hoping you would agree."

"So what is your problem, and why can't your daddy fix it?" Sarah questioned.

"My father would most likely have me tried and burned at the stake if I told him," Drake said, his smirk fading.

"Wait. Are you a wizard?" Sarah looked like she was about to burst out laughing. Christopher couldn't understand her. She was such an odd girl.

"I suppose so," said Drake grimly. He pulled out a stick. "I have this… whatever this is, and it allows me to do magic. I just said some nonsense words and… magic."

"Nonsense words?"

Drake nodded. "Watch." He pointed the stick at a rock, then swished and flicked it. "_Wingardeum Leviosa_." The rock rose up into the air. Drake sighed and pulled the stick back, allowing the rock to fall back to the ground.

"That thing is your wand," Sarah said matter-of-factly. "And the nonsense words are a spell."

Drake tucked his wand away. "Can you help me?"

"I don't understand how I can help."

"I'd like you to put some kind of a protection spell on me," Drake explained. "And I'd like it if you could teach me magic."

"I don't need to teach you magic, Malfoy," said Sarah. "You already know it. I'll perform a protection spell, but I have to write it first."

"How can I already know magic?" Drake inquired.

"You just do. Trust me on this. But try to be careful with that wand. Don't point it anyone." Sarah paused. "If anything happens with your magic…" She again paused. She didn't seem to want to get the words out. "I'll help you." She swiftly turned and started to leave.

"Sarah," Drake said. "Thank you."

"Hey, this is simply blackmail, Malfoy," Sarah said as she disappeared into the forest.

Christopher had intended to follow Sarah, but something kept him where he was. As he watched Drake, he tried to take in everything he had just learned. Sarah was a witch and Cole Turner's daughter. Drake was a wizard. Perhaps it was time that he revealed his own powers to those two.

Suddenly, Drake was upon him. Drake slammed Christopher into a tree. His eyes bore into Christopher, who unsuccessfully tried to push the older boy away.

"How long have you been listening?" Drake hissed.

"Long enough," Christopher said. He didn't know why he said that. It was quite a stupid thing to say. Drake was more powerful than him, and he had his arms pinned down. Christopher couldn't use his powers unless Drake released him.

Drake's gray eyes widened in shock, then narrowed. "If you tell anyone what you heard, I will use my magic on you."

"Well, since you need a wand to use your magic, I think I have the advantage," Christopher responded.

Drake brought his face closer to Christopher's face, studying him. "What do you mean?"

"You're not the only wizard in this town, Drake." He was able to move his hand enough to use his powers to send Drake back a few feet. Without Drake restraining him, Christopher dropped to the ground. "I don't plan on telling anyone. I wouldn't betray one of my own."

"Gryffindor," Drake muttered. A confused expression appeared on his face. "More nonsense words…"

Christopher stood up and brushed himself off. "If I were you, I'd be very careful with those nonsense words."

Drake glared at Christopher. "You just worry about keeping your mouth shut." He walked away.

Christopher felt very strange. He was a little sore from Drake's treatment, but there was some unidentified thing making him feel almost light-headed. He took a few breaths, yet he couldn't seem to shake the tingly feeling that had invaded his body. Shrugging, he started off on his way home.

---

Tamora (Charmedsisters) nervously glanced at Reigner Two, Vierran. "I really don't think I'm the right person. You're looking for some else."

"But haven't you heard voices in your head?" Vierran gently prodded.

Tamora (Charmedsisters) shook her head. "No. I'm not crazy."

"I know you're not crazy," Vierran said. "There's nothing wrong with you hearing those voices."

"I don't hear voices," Tamora (Charmedsisters) insisted.

"Tamora, this isn't the old rule," Vierran said. "The old Reigners are dead. You have nothing to fear. We know that you're a part of the next hand."

"How do you know?" Tamora (Charmedsisters) countered.

"I was designed to find Reigners," Bannus said as he entered the room.

Tamora (Charmedsisters) jumped. She uneasily eyed the robot as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"You are definitely a future Reigner," Bannus continued. "I can sense it."

"Tamora, do the voices call you the Owl?" Vierran asked.

Tamora (Charmedsisters) froze up, staring at Vierran. "How did you know that?" she whispered.

"I have spoken with the one you call the Rebel," Vierran answered. "She told me that she's only been able to talk to you lately. She says that you haven't been able to contact the Leader, the Guide, or the Fighter. Is that true?"

"Yes." Tamora (Charmedsisters) relaxed a little. "So the voices are real?"

Vierran nodded. "It's a very important ability. Many Reigners can communicate with each other in their heads. Sadly, many of the past possible Reigners were unable to rule because of Orm Pender. You remember the old Reigner One, correct?"

Tamora (Charmedsisters) shivered. "I do."

"His rule stopped many Reigners from claiming their right to rule," Vierran said. "But that's not the case any longer. You're free to rule."

"What if I'm not a good Reigner?" Tamora (Charmedsisters) asked.

"You will do fine. You were made to be a Reigner," Vierran assured her.

"Okay. So I'm going to be a Reigner," Tamora (Charmedsisters) said. "What am I going to do now?"

"You're coming with us to Earth," Vierran said. "You'll meet the other future Reigners there."

Tamora (Charmedsisters) managed a small smile. "I've wanted to meet them for a long time."

"And now you will."

---

The demon in her was fighting for control. Sabrina knew that, and it scared the hell out of her. She was all alone. She didn't have her mother or her aunts to help her, and she certainly wasn't going to let her friends see what she was becoming.

_"Can anyone hear me? Watcher? Shadow? Teacher? …Son?"_

Sabrina could hardly believe it. She could hear the voice of a teenage boy… the voice of the Follower. _"Follower!" _she squealed happily. _"You're back!"_

_"Was I gone?" _the Follower said, sounding confused.

_"Yes, you were gone forever," _Sabrina said.

_"And where are the other voices?"_

_"Right here." _

Sabrina's happiness increased at the sound of the young girl's voice. _"Oh, Shadow, you're back too!"_

_"I can't remember being gone…"_

_"You were. Teacher? Son?"_

_"I'm here," _the Teacher said.

_"So am I."_

Sabrina had all the voices back.

_"Good," _the Follower said. _"Now I can finally see if I'm right."_

_"About what?" _Sabrina asked.

_"Watcher, are you Sabrina Halliwell?"_

_"Um…"_

Fortunately, she was spared from answering the question.

_"What's that sound?" _Sabrina heard the Teacher say.

_"I'm not sure," _the Son said. _"Can you three hear it?"_

_"Yeah," _the Follower said.

_"I can too," _the Shadow said.

Sabrina also could hear the loud noise. It sounded rather like a carriage of some sort. Stepping out from her hiding place in the woods, Sabrina ventured into town. Two carriages had just pulled up. The first carriage opened and an old man, a young man, and a young woman stepped out.

As she looked upon the newcomers, Sabrina abruptly realized something.

All the voices were in the field of influence.

**A/N: I have officially seen it all… for I have just seen Harry Potter as some screwed up rock star or something, Ron as a pimp, and Hermione as a slutty groupie. I am very afraid now.**


	14. Garden of Evil

**A/N: d'oh! I'm bad. I've let my other ideas run amok, and this was kind of left behind for a while. I thank my reviewers: Tabitha78, Phoenix5143, KittyTigerLily, Xanthie, and I apologize for the delay.**

_Where the hell is Draco?_

That was the first thought to come to Chris as he stepped out of the forest. He didn't know where he was, but that didn't matter to him as much as his thoughts of Draco did.

He could remember that, a few minutes ago, he and Draco had agreed to meet after dinner. He had been in the Great Hall, so how was it that he was now outside? He was on the outskirts of a town, no less. What was happening? And where the hell was Draco?

"Chris!"

Chris turned around and saw Harry. "Harry, what—"

"I'll explain in a moment," Harry said. "For now, we need to get to the forest."

_

* * *

This is not good, Vierran murmured in her head as she, Mordion, and Martellian stepped out of the carriage. __The machine is up and running? How is this possible?_ Vierran murmured in her head as she, Mordion, and Martellian stepped out of the carriage. 

_I don't know,_ Mordion murmured back. _The Bannus's powers were completely transferred._

_At least, that's what we thought,_ Martellian commented quietly.

Vierran glanced at the four others as they got out of their carriage. Tamora stared at the town, eyes wide. Melissa showed little reaction to the strange surroundings. She seemed more concerned with the dress she was wearing. She made a face and almost started to use magic on the dress. Arthur stopped her. He then looked to Vierran for instructions.

Vierran still found it funny that a king looked to her for instructions. Of course, Martellian—more commonly known as Merlin—also looked to her. Two of the most well known figures of all time trusted her counsel.

_Just go along with it, _Mordion told them.

_Do you think the Charmed Ones…_

"Mister Tate, welcome to town."

Vierran looked to the source of the voice, and her incomplete question was answered. She was now facing Piper Halliwell.

"And Missus Tate, it is a pleasure," Piper said.

"Um, likewise," Vierran said.

"Yes, the entire town of Preston welcomes you," Albus Dumbledore said as he walked up to them.

Vierran had to stop herself from saying anything. She couldn't deviate from this illusion until they had figured out what was going on.

"I assume that these are your daughters," Dumbledore said, looking at Tamora and Melissa.

"Yes, they are. Tamora and Melissa."

"A pleasure. I am Albus Dunstan. This is Pippa Wyatt."

Tamora was obviously shocked, but she didn't forget her manners. "Wonderful to meet you," she said, taking a stab at a curtsey. She subtly elbowed Melissa, who grumbled a greeting and curtsied.

"Mister Martin, Mister Hume, Mister Burge," Dumbledore addressed the remaining people of the group.

Vierran couldn't believe it. Fitela had received the name he had used during their last adventure with the Bannus's illusion, and Martellian had been given that ridiculous name again. But the Bannus was back in the Homeworld. What was going on?

"Oof!" A young woman came running onto the scene and tripped. Her hands waved, and everything froze—including Piper. The young lady got up and noticed the current and future Reigners. She flicked her fingers, obviously trying to freeze them. She grimaced when they didn't freeze. "Oh crap. I don't want to be burned again."

_Is that Sabrina Halliwell?_ Arthur asked.

_Yes,_ Mordion responded.

"Um, can you just forget about this?" She suddenly sniffed at the air. Horror overtook her expression and she hurriedly flicked her fingers, unfreezing the others. She quickly pointed her finger at them and whispered, "forget this and forget me, leave behind the memory."

The spell didn't affect them, but they all pretended that it had.

Sabrina looked away. "Uncle," she said. Her voice was strained. "Here to greet Mister and Missus Tate?"

"Yes."

Vierran again was shocked. That was the Cian Master. Sabrina Halliwell believed him to be her Uncle?

"Welcome to Preston. I'm sure that you will enjoy your stay here. You are staying with the Wyatts, correct?"

"Indeed," Piper answered.

Sabrina discreetly waved her hands, but no one froze. Vierran knew that it was because of the Cian Master's influence.

"Here, we'll take you to the house," Piper said.

They couldn't refuse this, so they got back into the carriages. Vierran looked one last time to Sabrina. The youth looked just as confused as she felt.

The Cian Master was here. The old Bannus machine was running. And the Charmed Ones were caught up in the illusion. This was very, very bad.

* * *

Ginny stepped on the skirt of her dress for the fifth time. She yanked up the skirt angrily but didn't stop. She had no idea how she had gotten to this place or why those weird people were pretending to be her parents. She was quite disoriented, and she was more than a little afraid.

_I just have to find Ron,_ she told herself. But nothing was familiar. "Ron?" she called. "Sabrina? Herm—" Her words became a muffled gasp as someone clasped his hand over her mouth.

"It's me, Gin," Ron whispered. "You can't let anyone hear you saying those things."

"She's awake too?" Ginny heard Hermione say.

"Yeah," Ron said and released Ginny.

She whirled around to face her brother. "What is happening?" she demanded.

"Too much to explain. Trust me on this."

"No," Ginny said. "I want to know what's happening."

"We're in an illusion," Hermione said. "We're gathering everyone who's awake in the forest."

"Phoenix is awake as well," the voice of Malfoy announced.

"Phoenix Masterson?" Hermione said.

"You!" Ginny hissed.

Malfoy sighed. "Calm yourself, Weasl—er, Virginia."

"What's the ferret doing here?" Ginny questioned.

"I've already brought her to the forest," Malfoy said, ignoring Ginny.

"You went to Phoebe and… and her husband?" Hermione asked.

"No, I just ran into Phoenix," Malfoy said. "The illusion seems to be unraveling."

"That's good. But where is Sabrina?"

"I haven't seen her," Malfoy said. "But tonight is the full moon, isn't it?"

Hermione's face lit up with realization, and she murmured, "oh, yes."

"Wait a minute. Malfoy, since when are you civil?" Ginny asked.

"Since I found out that we're all being hunted by the Cian Master."

"The Cian Master?"

"Hagrid will explain," Ron said. "I'll take you there."

"Virginia, were you in the forest when you remembered who you are?" Malfoy questioned.

"Yes," Ginny said. "And don't call me Virginia. It's either Ginny or Weasley."

"That's the connection," Malfoy said. "Everyone who enters the forest wakes up."

"We'll have to bring everyone there, then," Ron said. "But how can we do that?"

"Sabrina will think of a way," Hermione said.

"She won't come near us, though," Ron said.

"We'll both have to go after her, then," Hermione said. "Malfoy, could you take Ginny—"

"I'll take myself," Ginny interrupted.

"Don't be stupid," Malfoy said. "You might run into the Cian Master. And as far as I know, you don't really know much about muggle culture, let alone muggle past."

Ginny glared at him. "Fine."

* * *

"Don't worry about a thing," Sabrina said as she mixed the potion. "I'm great at potions."

"I'm not worried about the potion," Lupin said. "I'm more concerned about the newcomers."

"Why would you be worried about them?"

"We don't know their nature," Lupin said. "They might be warlocks."

"No, they would have made their move by now," Sabrina said. "And besides, a person's nature can be misleading."

"Sabrina—"

"They might be allies, though," Sabrina cut him off. "We'll just have to wait and see." She let the potion fall back from the ladle into the cauldron. It was chunky. "Yuck. I think that needs a little more time." This potion was exhausting. "I think I have a little respect for Snape now." She thought. "Well, I don't know. I still cannot get over how evil he is."

Lupin tried to say something.

"Don't even try to argue with me. I know you hate him too."

"I don't hate him," Lupin said.

"Then you're a better man than I. I mean, person."

There was a short silence.

"I have something to tell you," Sabrina abruptly said. "And please don't think that I'm crazy. I'm really not." She had to tell someone, or she really was going to go crazy.

"What is it, Sabrina?"

Sabrina took a deep breath. "I… I hear voices. And not crazy, tell-me-to-burn-things voices. These are real people. At least, I'm pretty sure they are. I mean, I think I know their identities."

"I don't think you're crazy. How many voices do you hear?"

"Four."

"Do you know their names?"

"No. We use titles."

"You most certainly aren't crazy," Lupin said. "I too hear voices. Four voices. We also use titles."

"Wait, are you the Son?"

"No. There's no one among my voices that has that title."

"Wow," was all Sabrina could say.

"You said that you think you know their identities," Lupin said.

"Yes. The Teacher, I think, is Hermione. The Follower is a Slytherin. Maybe—I hate to suggest it—Malfoy," Sabrina said. "The Son… I'm not really sure about him, and I'm not sure about the Shadow. But they're both Gryffindors. Maybe… Harry and Ginny. All the voices are in the illusion, and they all were awake yesterday."

"Why don't you just ask in your head?" Lupin suggested.

"I suppose we ought to know," Sabrina said. "Do you know the identities of your voices?"

"I believe so. Two of the voices, actually, are your aunts," Lupin said.

"Which ones?"

"Prue and Paige."

"This must be pretty common in the Halliwell family. My great-grandmother had this ability," Sabrina said. "So did my grandmother, actually. And do you know of Eric Dumbledore?"

"Yes. He was Dumbledore's uncle."

"Well, he had this ability too," Sabrina said.

_Sabrina Halliwell? _Follower said. _Look, Watcher, I know that you're Sabrina. I'm Draco Malfoy. Teacher, you're Hermione Granger, aren't you? I don't know who you are, Son and Shadow, but you all need to come to the forest right now. We need to discuss this ability. It may help us against the Cian Master._

_Sabrina, you were the Watcher all along? _Teacher asked.

_I can't believe you didn't say anything,_ Son said.

_Son? Who are you?_ Sabrina asked.

A premonition caught Sabrina off-guard, cutting her connection to the others. She could see a red-skinned demon throwing an energy ball at the Cian Master, vanquishing him. Then the demon turned and launched an energy ball at Sirius, killing him. "NO!" Phoebe screamed.

"Sabrina?" Lupin touched her, bringing her back.

Sabrina had tears in her eyes. "Lupin, the potion is ready. I… Oh, my God." She ran out of the house.

The demon in the vision—she knew exactly who it was. The demon was Sabrina.

* * *

Hermione ran after Malfoy. Had she really heard right? Was Malfoy the follower? "Malfoy! Wait!"

Malfoy stopped. "So you are the Teacher."

Hermione stared at Malfoy. "What did you just say?"

"He's the Follower," said Ron.

Hermione and Malfoy both looked at Ron. "Ron? Are you the Son?"

"Yeah," he said.

"But… back at the Department of Unsubstantiated Rare Magical Occurrences, you acted like you didn't care about the reports. And you didn't act like you believed them," Hermione protested.

Ron shrugged. "I didn't."

"But how could you not?" Hermione protested.

Ron just shrugged again.

"Ron, sometimes you can be so brainless."

"Now we really have to go get Halliwell," Malfoy said.

"Malfoy, if we're going to be working together, we might as well use each others' first names," Hermione said.

"I will if you will," Malfoy said.

"Let's go then, Ma—Draco."

They first went to Lupin's, but she wasn't there.

_Sabrina, where are you? _Hermione asked in her head.

_Come on, Sabs, _Ron said. _We need you._

_Stay away from me, _Sabrina said.

Sabrina— 

_No. I'm a danger to all of you. Stay away. _

"What is she talking about?" Malfoy asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I can't tell you. But we need to find Sabrina before she does something rash."

"You don't think she'd make a potion, do you?" Ron said.

"A vanquishing potion? To get rid of her demon side?" Malfoy said. "That would kill her, wouldn't it?"

"How did you know that?" Hermione asked.

"It's my family's job to know these things," Malfoy said.

"If you dare to use this against her," Ron started, "we—"

"Can't you just think of me as the Follower?"

"That's the exact problem," Hermione said. "If you just act as the Follower, you could endanger all of us."

"Look, don't we have more pressing issues to deal with?" Malfoy said. "Hal—Sabrina is endangering herself."

He was right. "We'll talk about this later, then. She might be in the forest. That's where she went before, I think."

"It's our only chance."

* * *

Sabrina looked at the athame. She was still mortal, so this would work. It was so simple. She just had to use the athame. No need to bother with complicated potions. She just had to use her mortality against her demon-half before it took over.

She knew that she didn't have much time. That vision was going to come true soon. Vanquishing the Cian Master was good, but she couldn't let herself kill Sirius.

She felt sick as she thought of that part of the vision. She couldn't get that image out of her head. She was going to kill Sirius. She was going to become a murderer.

_No. I can't let that happen._

And so she picked up the athame and brought the tip of the knife to her heart. _Just push it in._ _Do it before you can kill him. It's the only way._

* * *

All this was happening too fast. Hermione needed some time to take all this in, but she didn't have time. She had to save Sabrina before anything happened to her. She had to find a way out of the illusion before the Cian Master realized that they were awake. They had to—

"There she is," Malfoy said. "_Accio athame!_" He caught the knife.

Sabrina jumped up and faced them. "Give that back!" A bit of blood was soaking into her dress.

Hermione suddenly realized how close they had come. _The blood._ "Sabrina," Hermione said. "How could you…"

"I saw myself killing him," Sabrina said. "You can't let me live."

"Stop acting like a martyr," Malfoy snapped. "Merlin, you Gryffindors just have to be so dramatic about every bloody thing. Stop soaking in your pity pool. You're supposed to be loyal, so why are you trying to hurt your mother? Didn't she give up a lot just to keep you?"

They all stared at him. "My God, Ma—Draco," Hermione said. "Where did that come from?"

"My logic, which you Gryffindors never use," Malfoy said. "Now, we have very little time. My father will arrive soon to participate in the slaughter."

"What?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Who do you think really is behind all this?" Malfoy said. "It's Voldemort, and all the Death Eaters are joining in."

"Why do you want to stop all this?" Sabrina demanded. "You're the son of a Death Eater."

"And you're the daughter of a demon," Malfoy quipped. "My father is planning to kill me too. That's why I was taken into the illusion. Voldemort and the Cian Master are going to kill off the powers of good."

"Sorry, Malfoy, but you've never acted like a power of good," Sabrina said.

"But I associated with a power of good," Malfoy said.

"Associated in what way?" Hermione questioned.

"You don't want to know," Malfoy said.

"But we do."

"I'm not going to tell you," Malfoy said.

"Fine." Sabrina touched Malfoy. Her eyes shut and she gasped. "Oh dear Merlin." She opened her eyes and stared at Malfoy. "You… and, and… I mean, you… What? How? Chris? You… and… Chris… like that?" She shook her head. "I… wow. I mean, it's not that I have a problem with that, but… um… whoa. And… he didn't say anything… and I couldn't even imagine that. I mean, I would never imagine that. You really hid it well. All those hall fights—did you practice those?"

"Yeah," Malfoy said.

Hermione was a little confused, but then she realized what Sabrina was implying. "You and Chris are a couple?" she said incredulously.

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "Malfoy and Chris? You're gay? Chris is gay?"

"You hid it very well," Hermione said. "So your father found that out?"

"Yes. And that's why he wants me dead," Malfoy said. "He thinks that I'll give away all the dark secrets."

"Okay, so what are we going to do?"

"Sabrina, can you take on your demon form?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe, but I won't."

"You have to," Hermione said. "You have to get the townspeople's attention. They'll chase after you—"

"And you can lead them right into the forest," Malfoy finished. "Everyone will remember, and we'll have a fighting chance."

"I'm afraid, though," Sabrina whispered. "What if it won't go back? What if I kill Sirius?"

"Is that that mate-protection thing?" Malfoy asked. "Is Sirius Black making a move on your mother?"

"How do you know—"

"Malfoys have to know these things."

"Your family knows all about me?" Sabrina said.

"Yes. The Cian Master supplied the information."

"Please, Malfoy, don't betray him," Sabrina pleaded.

"I'm not going to," Malfoy said. "Just take on your demon appearance."

Sabrina shook her head. "I can't do it."

Hermione went up to Sabrina and took her hand. "I'm sorry, Sabrina, but there's no other way. Close your eyes."

She did, and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Think of your father," Hermione told her. "Think of how he loved your mother. See them together. They're happy together."

More tears escaped Sabrina's closed eyes. She whimpered a little.

"They love each other," Hermione continued, her voice cracking slightly. This was causing Sabrina so much pain. She was bringing so much pain to her best friend. She wanted to stop, but she forced herself to go on. "You're with them. Your father is there for you. He loves you."

Sabrina sobbed quietly.

"Then you see Sirius. Your mother… she leaves you and your father. She goes to Sirius. Can you feel your father's heart breaking?" Tears began to fill Hermione's eyes.

"Yes," Sabrina whispered. "She's hurting him so much."

"Whose fault is it?"

"My father's," Sabrina sobbed.

"No," Hermione said. She then reached out to the demon. _What would she be called?_

_Since her father was vanquished, she would take his name,_ Malfoy said. _It's demon tradition._

"Belthazor, whose fault is it?"

"Sirius's," Sabrina hissed.

"Who must pay for this?"

"Sirius must."

"Then take over, Belthazor," Hermione said.

"Yes."

Sabrina began to change. Her skin became red. She grew taller, and black stripes appeared on her face. Her eyes turned black. She was no longer Sabrina. She was Belthazor now.

"Where is Sirius?" Belthazor growled.

"This way," Hermione said and started to lead Belthazor into town. She was now afraid. They had brought the monster in Sabrina out, and she didn't know if they'd be able to control Belthazor.

_Ron, go to Phoebe and Sirius,_ Hermione commanded in her head.

* * *

"Simon, where is Phoenix?" Philomena asked her husband, feeling panicked. Her daughter had disappeared.

Simon's eyes widened. "You don't know where she is?"

"No. She ran off." Suddenly, Philomena's eyes snapped shut. A scene began to play before her eyes. A horrible, red-skinned monster was attacking Simon. The vision ended as suddenly as it had started. "God help us. A monster is coming after you, Simon. Get the potion. You have to stay with me while we go find Phoenix."

Simon grabbed the potion.

"I had hoped I would never have to use this," Philomena whispered.

"Let's find Phoenix before the monster finds her."

Philomena nodded. If this monster threatened her husband or her daughter, she would not hesitate to kill it.


	15. Voodoo Moon

**A/N: I'm guessing that the few people who actually liked this story have given up on me by now. Stupid procrastination.**

**Morena-Forever: you must really hate me now. Well, thank you for reviewing. I give you an offering (this chapter). I hope it satisfies your craving. But seeing as how I just tried to spell "satisfies" with a w, I'm just not sure.**

**KAY: well… perhaps the definition of soon is debatable… Thank you for taking the time to review my overcomplicated, melodramatic story. Here it is!**

Fools. They were fools to think that they could trick her. Belthazor knew that they were not leading her to Sirius. Would she kill them now or later? She was rather thirsty for some bloodshed, and they were, after all, right there.

"No," a little voice in Belthazor whimpered. "Please, just leave them alone."

Pesky witch part of her. She was going to kill them… but perhaps later.

Ah, the adorable little town. How would it look when all the houses were burning? Belthazor grinned and whipped a fireball at a house.

"Stop!" the witch screamed. That part had no power, though. Hermione doused the flames using magic.

"Little witch!" Belthazor said. "Dare to defy me!" She tried to backhand her, but the wizard put some spell on her. She stopped for a moment, and the weak little witches backed away.

People began to run out of their houses. Women screamed and summoned their God for mercy; men grabbed whatever weapons were around. Children cried and hid.

Oh, the chaos was delicious. Once the spell wore off, Belthazor threw energy balls at anything that moved. Unfortunately, they didn't hit anyone. The stupid witches were still fighting!

She would have to take care of them first.

* * *

_All right, all she wants now is the two of us,_ Hermione said in her head. 

_Wonderful, _Draco muttered. _Just what do we do now?_

_We run._

Hermione and Draco ran towards the forest.

"Run and hide, little witches!" Belthazor called after them. "I'll get you."

A fireball nearly hit Draco. _This is going to make a partnership very difficult,_ he said and ducked. _Are the people following us?_

_Yes,_ Hermione said, with a quick glance back. An energy ball hit her arm, and she cried out.

"Got you, little witch!" Belthazor cackled.

"I'm sorry, Sabrina," Hermione whispered and sent a spell back at Belthazor. Her offensive powers would be blocked for a while.

They reached the forest, and the running became more of a challenge. Belthazor moved smoothly through the forest, somehow; she caught up with them. Hermione found herself facing the red-skinned demon.

"Hello, Hermione," Belthazor said, using Sabrina's voice. "I don't want to hurt you… Oh wait, yes I do."

"_Hibere_!" Draco called. Nothing happened.

"I'm too powerful for—" A bullet hit her and bounced off. She sighed and faced the villagers, who were just outside the forest. "Must I deal with you?"

Hermione took the chance to run.

_She's out of control now,_ Draco said.

_I know, I know. I thought Sabrina would have some control. _

The villagers entered the forest. Those who were not real disappeared; those who were became very confused. Their confusion did not stop them from getting out their wands and sending spells at Belthazor. A few hit her hard. She fought the people as much as she could. Then a horrible thing happened.

* * *

"Phoebe, you can't vanquish her!" Ron chased after Phoebe and Sirius. 

"My name is Philomena," Phoebe snapped. "And I am going to kill that demon."

"You can't kill her, Philowhatsit," Ron said. "She's your daughter. Well, sort of. I mean, right now she's Belthazor, but Sabrina's in there somewhere."

"Our daughter is Phoenix," Sirius said. "We're protecting her."

"Sirius, don't you remember Sabrina? If you kill Sabrina, she'll never like you," Ron desperately said and threw himself in their path.

They went around him. "You do not know what you speak of," Sirius said.

"Yes I do. Once you enter the forest, you'll understand," Ron said.

Wait—now there was an idea. He would let them enter the forest. Then they would remember and everything would be okay. He stayed close to them and protested no further.

Phoebe gasped when they came close to the forest. Ron was pretty surprised, too. Everyone was fighting Belthazor—using wands. They remembered!

Phoebe and Sirius rushed into the forest.

"Simon, the potion!" Phoebe urgently said.

"Simon?" Sirius said, muddled. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"You!" Belthazor roared, turning on Sirius. She tried to summon an energy ball but failed. Unaffected, she ran toward Sirius, prepared to kill him. Phoebe grabbed the potion from Sirius and threw it. Sirius attempted to stop the potion, but it sailed toward Belthazor.

Phoebe triumphantly said, "Die, demon!"

Ron had no choice. He raised his wand and destroyed the potion. Belthazor swooped down on Sirius. Ron went after her, first with spells, then with physical attack. The villagers joined in.

Sirius was pulled away, and someone began to care for his wounds.

"Sirius Black!" a few voices said, but everyone was too distracted by Belthazor to care.

But they were all going too far. Suddenly, Belthazor wasn't moving. Yet the onslaught of spells continued.

"No!" Ron heard Hermione say.

Then another voice spoke: "Spirited display. But before you kill her, I'd like to take her powers."

The action stopped; everyone backed away from Sirius and the Cian Master, who was in full demonic form.

"I have to thank you, Sirius Black," the Cian Master went on. "Without you, she wouldn't have had any weaknesses."

"He was working with him!" a voice accused from the large crowd.

"No I wasn't," Sirius said. "I didn't help him."

"But you did, Sirius," Cian disagreed. "The mate protection has always been the weakness of the demon children."

Ron looked at Belthazor's prone form. Her eyes were shut; she was bleeding. As he watched, she changed from Belthazor to Sabrina. Oh God—she looked even worse. Ron knelt down beside her. He had to help her. A spell…

Phoebe glanced down at Sabrina without a hint of recognition. There was no concern in her eyes. She seemed indifferent.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron yelled at her. "She's your daughter! Save her!"

Phoebe looked coolly at him. "That's not my daughter."

He sensed the presence of someone else next to him. It was Hermione. Chris and Wyatt joined them. Then, Hagrid arrived with those who had awoken earlier. Harry was there.

Harry came over, slowly. His eyes were wide, but Ron could see that the shock had not yet allowed him to fully understand what was happening.

"Sabrina?" He knelt down and touched her cheek. She did not stir. "Sabrina, open your eyes. Sabrina, you've got to wake up." He pulled her limp body up into his arms. "Wake up," he whispered, stroking her hair. She was barely breathing.

"_Salubris_," Hermione said. Nothing happened. "_Salubris_," she repeated in a louder voice. "_Salubris! _Damn it, Sabrina, heal! _Salubris!_" She looked up at the people of Hogwarts. "You all did this to her, now fix it! Fix it," she sobbed.

"Sweet, very sweet," the Cian Master said. "But now I think I'll take her powers."

"Don't you touch her!" Ron got up and pointed his wand at the Cian Master. Cian seemed amused.

"You think you can fight me?"

"The question is, Cian Master, can you fight all of us?" Dumbledore stepped forward. All the teachers stood next to him, wands ready. Sirius joined them.

"Gracious God!" Prue appeared along with Paige and Piper. "What is that thing?"

"That's a demon, Praise," Paige said.

"Demon?" Prue looked faint. That was not Prue.

"You made us trust you, Caden," Piper said. "I'm afraid I'll have to destroy you now." She flicked her fingers. She obviously meant to blow him up, but he only received a small wound on his arm.

"You are quite amusing," the Cian Master said. "But now…" He hurled an energy ball at Piper. Paige orbed it back at him. He merely waved his hand, causing it to disappear.

The action went on, and all the teachers began to fight the Cian Master. Hagrid spirited away the majority of the students. Others stayed to fight. Ron didn't care what was happening: Sabrina was slipping away.

"Leo!" Harry hoarsely called.

"His name's Leon," Hermione murmured.

"Leon!"

Leo cautiously came over to them. "You're friends of this demon," he said, nodding towards Sabrina.

"She's dying, Leo," Ron said. "You have to heal her quickly."

"Heal?"

"Come here now!" Hermione commanded. "Put your hands over her. Heal her!"

"I don't—"

"Right now!"

He put his hands over her. Slowly but surely, they began to glow.

"Stop that!" Phoebe pushed Leo away. "She must die."

Draco held onto Phoebe; she kicked and struggled. "Heal her, whitelighter."

Leo was in indecision, but Hermione's wand in his back was enough to convince him. He finally healed her. Her eyes opened, and she realized that she was in Harry's arms. She smiled at him. "Hi, Harry. Mind telling me why you're holding me?"

Then Ron saw it. He saw what should have been obvious to him all along. He couldn't believe it.

"Hermione, your arm! Leo—Leon, heal her arm," Ron said. He did so.

They all suddenly remembered then that a battle was going on. Sabrina tried to throw an energy ball but found herself unable.

"Sorry, Sabs," Hermione said. "Your demon self was pretty rough."

"Did I hurt you?"

"Belthazor did," Draco answered for her. He was still holding onto Phoebe, as she was hollering about how she needed to kill the blonde demon. "She's your bloody daughter," he told her, but she wouldn't believe him. "That's it." He got out his wand and summoned cords. He then tied her up.

Sabrina clearly wanted to release her mother, but there were more pressing things to deal with. She sent everything magical that she could at the Cian Master. With all the people attacking him, he took a few hits.

It didn't seem possible, but at that point, things got worse. Much worse.

* * *

"Well, well, well! Cian Master, are these people bothering you?" 

Draco's blood ran cold at the sound of that voice. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had arrived. He could see his father, as all the Death Eaters were without masks.

"Merely a nuisance, my Lord," the Cian Master said.

Voldemort took in the scene. "Let's see… one, two, three, four Charmed Ones." He smirked. "And one is all wrapped up to go."

The Death Eaters laughed.

"And how many traitors do we have tonight?" He looked at Draco. "Just one. And we have your lover boy, I see."

"You won't touch Chris," Draco said, stepping in front of Chris.

"No need to be noble, Draco," Chris said and stood beside him.

"Ah, young love. It's a pleasure to destroy that. Ready… set… go."

Unforgivables began to rain down. Paige, Piper, Sabrina, Chris, and Wyatt used their Wiccan powers to stop all the curses.

"Now that's just not fair," Voldemort said softly.

"No, it isn't," a new voice said. A huge force knocked down Voldemort and his followers. "But that's never been your way, has it?"

The strange visitors stepped into view. "That won't last long. Retreat, now, while you still can."

Everyone looked to Dumbledore. "Mordion's right. Let's go."

Sabrina levitated her mother into the air. "I wish it didn't have to be like this, mom," she said to her.

"You were trying to kill my husband," Phoebe spat.

Sabrina's eyes were full of sorrow. "I know." She almost looked back at Sirius but stopped herself in time.

Mordion led them to the Wyatt house.

"We've built a protection field around this house," Mordion said as everyone streamed in. "The others have already been brought here."

"Wait, did you get Lupin?" Sabrina asked concernedly, glancing at the full moon.

"Lupin? No."

"I'll have to get him," Sabrina said. But Mordion closed the door.

"It's too risky," Mordion said.

"We can't leave him."

"I don't think he'll be in danger, Sabrina," Draco told her. "He is a werewolf, after all."

"In the morning—" she started.

"We'll get him then."

Mordion and the four others went up to the front of the room. "I'm sure you're all wondering who I am," he said. "I am Mordion Agenos. I am a Reigner. That is, I help to rule the universe. These are my co-rulers, Vierran, Fitela, Martellian, and Arthur. You may know Martellian as Merlin, and our Arthur is your King Arthur."

They could not be serious.

"We have been in contact with Dumbledore for quite some time, but we had no idea that the situation was so dire," Vierran said. "We'll have to face Voldemort and the Cian Master, but first we must prepare."

"Yes, but could you kindly tell us what is going on?" Dumbledore asked.

"You've been trapped in the Bannus's illusion," Vierran answered. "The Bannus is a machine that has the ability to create a field of influence within which it projects an illusion. Those in the field are led to believe that they are different people in a whole different time. We Reigners were once caught in this very field before we even knew that we would become Reigners."

"You all were led to believe that you were living in the New World in 1775," Mordion said. "The Cian Master manipulated the old machine so that it did so. You see, what has been tricking you was the shell of the Bannus and the power the Cian Master added to it. The real Bannus was with us."

A robot then entered the room. This was getting to be ridiculous.

"My function is to select new Reigners," the Bannus robot said. "All of my powers were transferred to this body, but the old machine did manage to perform its duty. It summoned two new Hands here."

The Reigners looked at Bannus in surprise. "The new Reigners are here?"

Bannus nodded and turned to the crowd. "Those who are a part of those Hands have the ability to communicate with their fellow Reigners telepathically."

Draco looked to Sabrina; Sabrina looked to Hermione. Slowly, he, Hermione, Ron, and Sabrina stood up. As no one spoke, Draco said, "We can communicate telepathically."

"You are a part of the second Hand," Bannus said.

Paige stood up. "I also have that ability, but I don't believe I have ever spoken with those youths."

"You, Paige Halliwell, are a part of the next Hand," Bannus said.

"Actually, it's Paget," Paige replied.

Prue got up. "I think you're all mad," she declared. "I know for a fact that it is 1775, and we are in the New World."

"I agree," Piper said.

Phoebe, who had by now been untied, also stood and said, "Indeed!"

Dumbledore observed this in silence; then he went up to Mordion and quietly spoke to him.

"If all the Halliwells and all members of the Hands could please come into the other room," Mordion said and disappeared into the other room.

* * *

Phoebe, Piper, and Prue had to be forced into the room. They vehemently protested that not only were they not Halliwells, they also did not communicate with people in their heads. 

Once they had been brought in, Phoebe took to glaring at Sabrina with her arms crossed. Sabrina couldn't exactly blame her for her anger, but it hurt. Her mother didn't even recognize her, nor did her aunts. She felt so alone.

"You four are the Charmed Ones," Mordion told them. "You are all witches."

"I am not a witch," Prue said calmly.

"Aunt Prue, you are a witch," Sabrina said. "Don't you remember?" She imitated Prue using her telekinesis. "Demons? Warlocks? Swish?" She tried again, but there was no recognition in Prue's eyes. There was only sadness.

"Sarah, I am your mother," Prue said. "What have they been telling you?"

"C'mon, Aunt Piper," Sabrina said. "I have your freeze. We must be related."

"'Tis little surprise," Piper responded. "We likely have a common relative."

"'Tis?" Sabrina smacked her forehead. "Aunt Paige? You said it felt like mom—Philomena was your sister. Well, she is."

There was no change in any of her aunts. "Mom, please. You must remember dad. Cole Turner." It was too painful to talk about her father. "What about your nephews? Remember that time when you were running late for a job interview and Chris puked on you?"

Piper drew Chris closer to her and distrustfully glared at Phoebe.

"Mom… don't you remember me?" Sabrina approached her mother. "I was born in the Black house during lockdown. Lupin delivered me. Sirius practically fainted watching you. And Harry's dad was there. Mom?"

"Stay away from me, demon," Phoebe said.

Sabrina was exhausted by this effort. She gave up and didn't even bother with Leo.

"What's wrong with them?" Hermione asked Mordion.

"The illusion won't let them go." He was quiet for a moment. "Who was the first person to venture into the field?"

"I was," Sabrina said.

"Did you get to the Bannus?"

"No. My aunts and my mother went there." She stopped. "Is that why? They were the ones who unlocked the Bannus, so it had the most powerful impact on them."

"That seems to be why," Mordion said.

"Uncle Leo wasn't there, though."

"Perhaps he orbed to them," Hermione suggested. "He likely sensed a change."

"But I don't know how we can fix this," Mordion said. "Last time we were here, it just wore off."

"We need them to be aware of who they are now," Sabrina said.

"Wait," Prue whispered suddenly. Cation… Bellie… Sassal… Kessalta… Mordion." She stared into Mordion's eyes. "Were you… the only one?"

Mordion appeared surprised, yet there was grief in his expression. "Yes. I was the only one to survive."

"Why?"

"The Reigners wanted the strongest to serve them," Mordion said.

"I saw all of it," Prue murmured. "I saw Corto die. Then Sassal, and Cation, and Bellie." A tear slid down her face. "So much death. How did Kessalta…?"

Mordion didn't seem to want to answer. "Reigner One tortured her. He gave me a choice. I could let her live in agony, or I could…" He stopped. "I couldn't let her…"

Prue nodded sadly. "I've had these dreams of you and them since I was five. I wanted to help you. I tried so hard…"

"There was nothing you could have done against them."

Sabrina didn't understand, but she saw that this was not for her to understand. "You remember, Aunt Prue?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps we can get them all to wake up like that," Hermione said.

"But what secrets could they have?" Ron asked.

Everyone turned to Sabrina. "What? You think I know their secrets?"

"You must know a few," Hermione replied.

"Well… Uncle Leo, you often went to the Elders, even after the sisters banned you from going up there," Sabrina said. Nothing happened. "Okay, then how about the fact that you actually hate Aunt Piper's apple pie? No?"

"Leo, you almost chickened out before you asked Piper to marry you," Prue said. "Lily knocked some sense into you and personally dumped you on our doorstep so that you would go and ask."

Leo smiled a little. "Lily always was so pushy."

"Good. Now Aunt Paige, you're in love with Remus Lupin," Sabrina tried.

"I only know a Reuben Lupin," Paige said.

"And you're in love with him."

Paige's eyes didn't light up with recognition. "I feel no need to discuss this with you."

"I'm all out," Sabrina said. Suddenly, an idea came to her. "Mal—Draco, you said that Malfoys know everything about everyone, so pitch in. You knew about my father and my genes. What do you know about them?"

Draco, for once, looked uncomfortable. Sabrina started to savor this moment, then remembered that she was supposed to be forming a partnership with Draco.

Draco took his time. "Paige Halliwell, you were originally one of Salem's followers."

"I was not!" Paige exclaimed. "What has that little rat been telling you? I am going make that cat into a pair of slippers."

"She's back," Sabrina said, smiling.

"Piper Halliwell, you allied yourself with the demon Gallus in order to save your sisters from the demon Hwit," Draco said. "You gave him a power that you never told your sisters you had. You gave him your clairvoyance, which allowed him to see orb or shimmer trails, among other things."

"But I destroyed him after," Piper said. Her eyes were full of guilt. "I had no choice."

"It's all right, Piper," Prue said. "We've got bigger problems."

Draco grimly went up to Phoebe. "I know only one secret of yours," he said. "But I don't think I should say it here."

"You have to," Sabrina said.

"Phoebe Halliwell," Draco started, reluctantly, "you nearly gave Sabrina away. You had everything set up. You were going to give her to a wizarding family, and you were going to bind her powers."

"I thought that was the only way she'd be safe," Phoebe said. "I was sure that the powers of Good would hunt her down. I couldn't let that happen."

Sabrina was not entirely shocked by this. She knew all the things her mother had gone through to keep her, and she knew how many people had wanted her dead.

Everything was quickly explained to the Charmed sisters. They accepted it all without question.

When they returned to the main room, they found that half the people were hysterical.

"He's a murderer!"

"He'll betray us all!"

"He helped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

Sabrina carefully kept her eyes off Sirius. Lord, was she getting sick of this.

"Silence!" Dumbledore boomed. "Sirius Black is not a murderer. He was framed. However, that is of no consequence at this moment. Our enemy is out there, waiting for us. We do not need internal strife."

"You can trust Sirius Black," Piper announced. "And if you cannot believe the Charmed Ones, you can't believe anyone."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Charmed Ones. I see you have recovered your memories," Dumbledore said.

"That's right. Now, we need to get started on our defenses. What materials do we have at our disposal?" Paige asked. "Any potion-making materials?"

"Only cooking herbs," McGonagall answered.

"They'll have to do."

"We need all the Advanced Potions students to stand up," Piper said. "Follow me to the kitchen."

They filed out. "All seventh years with Wiccan powers please stand up," Prue said.

A few students who were obviously not seventh years stood up along with the seventh years.

"I'm afraid you can't come," Prue said.

"We can fight," one fifth year girl said stubbornly. "I'm pyrokinetic, and I've faced demons before."

"You're not battle-trained," Prue said dismissively. "Those with passive powers, go to Phoebe; those with active powers, go to Paige."

The girl tried to go to Paige, but Prue caught her and sat her down.

Sabrina wasn't sure where she was supposed to go. She almost went down to the kitchen; Prue stopped her.

"Sabrina, teach the rest of the students defensive spells."

"Why?"

"Just in case Voldemort gets past us," Prue said. "Voldemort's probably called more people now that he knows that we're not being fooled."

"What about the Reigners? They seem to be awfully powerful."

"Voldemort can't be terminated by anyone other than Harry."

"Terminated?" Sabrina thought that it was an odd word choice.

"It's an ability that Mordion has. I don't want to make him use it more than he has to," Prue said. "And we can't just kill the Death Eaters. They're evil, but they're not demons. Now start teaching."

Sabrina went up to the front of the room and looked over all the people. So much was happening. So many terrible things. She knew they didn't have a second to lose. She didn't have a moment to take everything in. Only one realization stood out from the rest.

Just as Harry was the only one who could kill Voldemort, she was the only one who could kill the Cian Master. She was going to have to embrace Belthazor to do it. Even after all Belthazor had done. Even though she had lost control before.

Pressing back all her fear, she started to instruct the students.

**A/N: I did all that in two days. Whoo!**

**Yeah, yeah. Those who are reading are probably exasperated. FIVE MONTHS and I wrote this in TWO DAYS? Cringe.**


	16. Spirit of the Wolf

**A/N: oh, Lord, look out now! I'm updating and IT HASN'T BEEN MONTHS. The sky must be falling now! This chapter's full of mushy love and kisses. Cynics, ready your gag suppressers!**

**Morena-Forever: let's see… three days? Is that good? Thanks for reviewing. Here's another heart-healthy helping of The Usual Chaos.**

**Phoenix5143: I'm doing the dance of shame. But maybe this will make up for it. I mean, three days. That's got to make up for it, right? I'll try to get the next one up just as soon. Thank you for reviewing. **

"So this is it."

Harry's voice was quiet, but there was no calm in his words. Sabrina looked up at him in slight surprise; she had been concentrating on what she was going to do. The two of them were fairly alone, though they could hear the discussion going on in the main room. Sabrina had felt the need to be alone, but she was glad that Harry was with her now.

He sat next to her.

"What do you mean?" Sabrina asked him. She tried to memorize every detail of his face. She drank in his features and savored the sound of his voice. She knew that she was preparing for the possibility that Belthazor would have to be vanquished.

"I have to destroy Voldemort in this battle," Harry said.

"What? No, you don't have to do that yet. There's still time for that."

Harry shook his head. "I can't let this go on any longer. He has to be destroyed now."

A new, sharp possibility hit Sabrina. Perhaps this was the last time she was ever going to see Harry. Perhaps he would…

The thought dug deep in her, opening a wound that poured forth pain and fear. Desperation seized her, and she increased her effort to commit his image to memory. _He can't,_ she told herself. _He can't leave me behind._

"You can't," she found herself whispering.

"I have to."

Sabrina tried to suppress the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She would not cry in front of him. She would be strong. Harry's image blurred, and Sabrina blinked. A hot tear rolled down her cheek. A deluge of tears followed. She could nothing to control them.

Harry looked helpless, and awkwardly tried to comfort her.

"Sabrina, it'll be all right. Don't cry."

"No, Harry," Sabrina said. "You don't know if it'll be all right." She wiped the wetness on her cheek away. A few tears still slid out every so often. She almost started to speak a few times but found herself unable.

"I don't want to lose you," she said at last.

"You're not going to lose me," Harry assured her.

"But you don't know that."

"Hey, we almost lost you today," Harry said. "And you're here right now."

"How are you going to defeat him?" Sabrina burst out. "You can't use the Avada Kedavra. How can you kill him?"

He looked at her grimly. "I never told you this, but the sisters did some extra training with me. They taught me how to fight… to kill." He looked away. "I didn't learn Unforgivables, but I did learn how to deal with Voldemort. As far as we're concerned, Voldemort died fifteen years ago."

Sabrina didn't want to accept that he would duel with Voldemort. She couldn't accept that there was a chance that he might die. She couldn't live without him.

Abruptly, she closed her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Harry's body tensed for a moment, then relaxed. It felt wonderful to hold him, yet it hurt. She should have done this before, she knew. She didn't care about being just friends. Nothing was assured. That was what was important.

Before Sabrina could do anything, Harry pulled back.

"What—"

Her words were cut short by his mouth on hers. She melted into him, feeling nothing but the kiss. She wanted it to last forever, but it ended.

"I've always loved you, Sabrina," Harry said. "I just never knew it."

"Boys are so imperceptive." Sabrina now kissed him. When that kiss ended, she said, "I love you, Harry Potter. And you can't ever leave me."

* * *

"Whoa, Hermione," Ron said. "I think you're taking this too literally."

"Ron, when they say the universe, they mean the universe," Hermione responded.

"But we can't rule the universe," Ron protested.

"Apparently we don't have a choice." Hermione shook her head and muttered, "And you never even said anything."

"About what?"

"The voices."

Ron shrugged. He had that silly look on his face, the one that demonstrated that he just went along with the flow of life. He was _so_ irresponsible, _so_ imperceptive… so very yummy…

Hermione beat back the rush of emotions. Now was not the time and this certainly was not the place.

"This is it, isn't it?" Ron suddenly said.

"What?"

"This is the final battle. Harry's going to have to kill Voldemort; the sisters will have to kill the Cian Master," Ron went on.

Hermione hadn't even thought about that, but it was true. There was no way Harry could avoid it this time. He was going to have to kill Voldemort. But—so many things could go wrong. There was too big a chance that he would die. The thought repelled her, but there was nowhere else she could turn. There was a significant chance that he would be killed.

"Ron," she whispered and grabbed his hand. "Ron, what if he dies? How can we… What would we do?"

"I don't know, Hermione."

Words failed her, and she pulled closer to Ron. She felt a little better when he put his arm around her.

"They trained him well, 'Mione," Ron said quietly. "He knows what to do. He'll be fine. He has to be."

Hermione nodded, trying to not cry. What if none of them survived this battle? What if Sabrina died? What if—oh, God, what if Ron died? He would die not knowing that she loved him. She couldn't let that happen. She had to tell him.

She looked up, looked up into those warm eyes. She lost herself there for a moment. Then, she leaned forward and experienced his lips for the first time. She kissed him, shyly at first, then with deep need. He did not push her away.

The connection ended gradually, and Hermione found herself speaking. "I love you, Ronald Weasley."

She waited for the shock to appear in his eyes, but Ron only grinned.

"I've been waiting for you to do that."

"What?"

"I love you too, Hermione," Ron said. "I have for a while."

"But you… why didn't you say anything?"

He shrugged.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione said. "You're so brainless sometimes."

"But I wasn't brainless enough to let you go."

Hermione was overwhelmed by that romantic statement, and she kissed him again.

_

* * *

Oh my, Phoebe thought as she turned away from the room. Harry and Sabrina had finally realized their feelings for each other. She didn't want to break up their make out session, but she had no choice. She cleared her throat. "Ahem."_

They broke apart. Sabrina's face flushed; Harry tried to look anywhere except at Phoebe. "Well, that's a good pre-battle activity," Phoebe said, smirking.

Sabrina blushed harder. "Ah, is it time to head out?"

"Not yet. I'd like to talk to you, Sabrina," Phoebe said.

"Right." Sabrina gave Harry one last glance and then got up and followed Phoebe.

"Merlin's beard!" Phoebe gushed once they were out of earshot of Harry. "You two finally admitted your love?" She sighed. "How was it? Wonderful? How good of a kisser is he?"

"Mom!" Sabrina groaned. "I am not going to discuss that with you."

"Aw, you're no fun."

Sabrina glared at her. "What did you want to discuss?"

Phoebe sobered. "I had a vision."

Her daughter's face filled with panic.

"Not about Harry," Phoebe quickly said. "I had a vision about you."

"What about?"

"Sabrina, sometimes we are handed such a great task that we don't think we can do it," Phoebe said. "We Halliwells have to do a lot for the world. Often, it's hard to see why we should even bother. But we have to bother, and we have to care, because we have the power. All of our powers serve a greater purpose."

"Mom, what do you mean?" Sabrina questioned.

"I had a vision about a task that you have to complete. You—"

"I have to kill the Cian Master," Sabrina quietly said. "And I have to let Belthazor take over in order to do that."

Phoebe stared at her daughter, surprised. "You had a vision too?"

Sabrina nodded. "But mom, I also saw something that you can't let happen. I saw—" She stopped, then took a deep breath. "I saw myself killing… Sirius."

Phoebe was silent. "When did you have this vision?"

"Earlier, before anyone remembered."

Phoebe thought of all the books she read about demon children. She was certain that this could be fixed, and she was almost sure that it had already been. "We can fix this. Sabrina, how long have you been aware of your feelings for Harry?"

"A couple years. But what does this have to do with anything?"

"You have to trust me," Phoebe said. "How deeply do you care about him?"

"It can't be measured, mom," said Sabrina.

"Good. Now, do you think that you have a deep bond with him?"

"Of course. Even before all this."

"Sabrina, when you face the Cian Master, I want you to think only of Harry," Phoebe told her. "Don't think of your hate for the Cian Master; don't let your demon self even contemplate hate for Sirius."

"I can't control the demon, though," Sabrina protested.

"Yes you can. You just need to remember and feel your love for Harry. In killing the Cian Master, you will weaken Voldemort. You will help protect Harry. You must do this for the love of Harry. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Sabrina said. "And I will."

"Good." Phoebe hugged her daughter close. "We're going to win this, hear me?"

"Loud and clear, mom."

* * *

**(!Slash! warning)**

"Everyone knows," Draco said.

Chris didn't react. "So?"

"That's all you can say?"

"Yeah. That's all that needs to be said, Draco," Chris replied.

"Chris—you just don't get it," Draco said.

Chris gazed at him, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Damn, you're cute when you're distressed."

Draco scowled. "This is serious."

"Why should it be?"

"Your aunts, for one."

"What about them?" Chris asked.

"They're the Charmed Ones," Draco said, accenting the last two words. "They represent all that's good. They're going to fight my father pretty soon."

"They won't kill him, if that's what you're worried about," Chris said.

"No, that's not it." Draco appeared exasperated by Chris's attitude. "And you're the son of a Charmed One and a whitelighter."

"So?" Chris repeated.

"I'm the son of a Death Eater. This could never work out."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Oh, Merlin, you're not going to do the 'let's just be friends' speech, are you?"

"No." He turned away. "What were we thinking?"

"What would it be like to kiss a guy?"

"I'm serious," Draco said. "You know, you're more like your aunt than you think."

"Draco, what are you trying to say?" Chris got up and stood before him. "Do you want to end this so that you can claim that I meant nothing to you? Do you want to walk away before we start caring about each other? Or are you just scared?"

"Slytherins fear nothing," Draco said.

"Hey, Slytherins also hate Gryffindors. Yet here you are, with me."

Draco walked towards the door. Chris blocked his path. "I'm sick of you walking away, Draco," Chris said. "Just tell me. If you don't give a damn, I'll let you walk out of my life forever. If you do, then tell me why you're really scared."

Draco tried to glare at him like he used to. But eyes softened. He almost leaned in, but Chris pushed him back. "Not until you tell me," he commanded.

"I don't have a place anymore," Draco said at length. "I don't belong to the Light; I don't belong to the Dark. I don't have anything anymore."

"You have me," Chris responded, "if you want me. You can join the Light."

"It's not that simple."

"Nothing is."

A few moments of silence passed.

"For so long, I only knew the Dark. I only knew hate. I only knew power," Draco said. "And I liked it, because I had never known anything else. Then you came along, with your teenage angst and your hatred of your father. Even with all that, you were Good. You were angry, but you would fight the good fight."

"What are you talking about? I don't—"

"Chris, no matter what, you are Good," Draco interrupted. "You may deny it, but there's a part of you that always wants to help. Why else would you have stuck around me?"

Chris raised his eyebrow.

"Other than that. You could have just used me for the thrill of it. But you listened the few times when I opened up. That kind of caring is what Good is all about."

"Then you do belong somewhere," Chris said. "You listened to me when I opened up. You're Good."

"You just had to get rid of all that hate in me, didn't you?" Draco said.

"It was a plot."

Quickly, Draco said, "It was a gift." Then, as if to cover up the words, he kissed Chris.

**(End !Slash!)**

* * *

Prue looked at the potions, feeling quite pleased. "How'd you make all these with just cooking herbs?"

"Turns out that 'Pippa' had a personal stash of herbs," Piper said and winked.

"Great," Prue said. "The seventh years are ready for action; the other students know their defenses; and Wyatt, Chris, and Draco are insisting on fighting."

"I still can't believe Chris is dating a Malfoy. And a boy, at that," Piper said.

"Well, Halliwells do rather enjoy the taboo."

"True."

Those would be fighting filed into the kitchen. Prue handed out potions and gave the final pep talk.

"Now, you seventh years are not going to be right up front. You're our second line of defense in the unlikely case that we need extra help. That goes for you as well," she said and nodded toward Draco, Chris, Wyatt, Sabrina, Hermione, Ron, and Harry. She noticed that Hermione and Ron were holding hands, as were Harry and Sabrina.

"And I will be leading the troops!" A small black cat jumped up onto the table. "Remember, men, you're fighting for me. And when I become ruler of Earth, you will all be rewarded handsomely!"

"Salem, we have a much more important job for you," Paige said. "You're going to be staying with the students here."

"What? Inconceivable!"

"Salem, with all that's going on, the students will be very upset. You need to keep them calm," Piper told him.

"Well… my presence does inspire calm. I'll do it."

"Mordion will actually be leading the, er, 'troops'," Prue said. "Vierran and Fitela will stay here, and Arthur and Merlin will be coming along." Even with her position as Charmed One, Prue still couldn't help but feel flustered to be in the presence of King Arthur and Merlin.

"What about us?" Melissa spoke up. Tamora looked terrified at the thought of battle. "Aw, quit being such a wimp, Owl."

Prue stared. "You're the Owl?"

Tamora nodded. "I don't think I can really fight…"

"You don't have to," Prue assured her. Her gaze rested on Melissa. "Hello, Rebel."

"Nice to see you in person, Leader," Melissa said.

"You're the Leader?" Paige said.

"And you're the Fighter. Who's the Guide?"

"Remus."

"Makes sense. But let's discuss this later," Prue said. "Now, we need to head out." She looked out the window. "The sun's rising, so any vampires he had won't be a problem. He'll still have trolls, giants, demons, and all manner of nasty things. But with the potions you have, you could defeat the Source. Let's go."

Prue insisted on being the first one out; Mordion went along with her. No surprise attack was waiting for them, but Prue sent out an immobilization spell just in case. Once they were sure the coast was clear, they motioned for the others to follow.

It was eerily silent. Prue didn't like it at all. Piper sent out her own spell, one that would allow them to see any magical traps. There were none.

Phoebe breathed in sharply. "They're in the forest, waiting for us. They've got all the dark creatures imaginable."

"Can you feel Lupin?" Sabrina whispered to her.

Phoebe didn't respond. Prue took it that Remus had been captured in his weakened state. _Guide, can you hear me?_ Prue asked in her head. _Guide, this is Prue. Can you hear me?_

Mordion noticed what she was doing. "If he's in the forest, he can't hear you," he murmured.

_Paige, you'll get him when we get there._

_Right._

"Shield."

Wyatt held up his hand; a shield appeared around the group as they ventured into the forest. He would only keep it up until they could take up the offensive.

A green light hit the shield and bounced off. Yet they still couldn't see their attackers.

"Invisibility," Phoebe said. Together, the four sisters chanted, "Let the powers of evil awake from their dream as we cause the unseen to become seen!"

Voldemort and all his followers appeared. The Cian Master held up an unconscious Remus.

"Lose something?" he said. Paige tried to orb to Remus, but the field wouldn't let her. Undeterred, she held her arms and called, "Remus!" He appeared in the bubble in a swirl of orbs. He was still alive, so Leo was able to heal him.

"Hiding behind your bubble?" Voldemort said. "That's not fair."

"What about you, hiding behind your invisibility?" Prue said.

"Well, when the Cian Master acquires a new power, we do like to test it out," Voldemort said. "So are you going to hide there all day? You may be safe from our spells, but we're also safe from yours."

"Hmm, didn't look that way a few minutes ago," Piper said.

"You know very well that your wand magic will be trapped in there with you," Voldemort replied.

Piper and Sabrina flicked their fingers. The force of two Halliwells was enough to get them to freeze for a moment. Wyatt took down his shield. Voldemort and the others unfroze; both sides started shooting everything they could at each other. Harry went for Voldemort but Prue pushed him back.

"Not yet."

Voldemort sent the Avada Kedavra at Prue; she deflected it back to him. It did no damage.

"Come now, Prudence," he said. "You can't destroy me."

"I don't have to."

The fighting went on, though it was a standstill between Voldemort and Prue. Her sisters too were unable to kill the Cian Master, even with the potion that Drew had concocted. Cian's skin only burned when he was hit with the potion.

"I thought that would kill him!" Paige said as she threw herself down to avoid an energy ball.

"I never said it would kill him," Drew called and sent a Death Eater flying back.

The damage really pissed the Cian Master off. "You took my powers!" he raged and threw energy ball after energy ball at them.

"Ow! Damn! Your powers seem fine to me," Phoebe said, clutching her arm.

"All his stolen powers are gone," Drew said.

"Great."

Innumerable potions were thrown; a lot of the Death Eaters were put into crystal cages that were sealed by Mordion. Apparently, his seal made it impossible for anyone to move the crystals. Most of the dark creatures were destroyed by potions. The Light side took some hits, but with Leo there to heal them, they didn't suffer much damage. Voldemort's lone darklighter tried to take Leo out, but Chris killed the darklighter before he could do anything. Leo gave him an appreciative look and kept healing.

Pretty soon, only Lucius Malfoy, the Cian Master, Voldemort, and Bellatrix Lestrange were left. Voldemort saw the problem, but he smiled. "Phoenix," he softly said. "Phoenix, come here."

The small black-haired girl stepped out from behind a tree. It was obvious that she had been crying. She looked at the people of the Light, then shuffled over to Voldemort. She clung to his arm, as if seeking comfort. "Please, don't make me," she tearfully begged.

"Don't you want to make me happy, Phoenix?" Voldemort said, stroking her cheek.

Phoenix didn't seem to know how to answer. "I don't want to hurt them."

The people of the Light watched this bizarre interaction. Bellatrix, Lucius, and the Cian Master could have taken advantage of this, but they didn't. They only smirked and watched.

"But you must."

The sisters came to their senses and tried to cage Bellatrix and Lucius. Nothing happened.

Paige tried to orb them away instead. The result was the same.

"I'm sorry," Phoenix whispered. "I don't want you to hurt him." She was still holding onto Voldemort.

"Phoenix controls your powers now," Voldemort said. "I must say, I was disappointed when she turned out to be an empath, but it turns out that her powers are very useful."

"Empath? She's a Wiccan witch?" Piper said.

"Oh, yes. Aren't you proud, Prue?" Voldemort said. "Look at her. Just look at her. Isn't she beautiful? Takes after me, I think. Of course, she does have your hair, your astral projection, and Phoebe's empathy. But I'm the one who made her strong."

"I always assumed that you were insane, Voldemort," Prue said, "but isn't this a bit much?"

"I am quite sane, Prue. Phoenix is our daughter."

Prue ignored him. "Phoenix, stop using your empathy to block us," she said. "We need to stop him."

"But he's my father," Phoenix murmured.

"Would you like to remember, Prue?"

"There's nothing to remember!"

"I raised her for you, Prue," Bellatrix said. "I raised her well, don't you think?"

"But it's not possible," Prue said. "Twelve years ago, you were nothing, Voldemort."

"Close. I was nearly nothing," Voldemort began. "I was barely alive. I was as close to death as I have ever been. But someone crossed my path twelve years ago. A Charmed One. By sheer luck, I was able to possess your body, Prue. I forced you to create a potion that would bring me back, but only for a short time. It only lasted twenty-four hours. I only needed a short time to execute my plan.

"I had a Charmed One in my clutches. It was no use trying to kill you or steal your powers. No, I decided to use your powers to my advantage. You were weak from the possession. I used that. Though I could not defeat the Charmed Ones, but I could breed a child that would have my strength and the Halliwell powers. And I succeeded. Before I faded out, I ordered one of my followers to steal the child once it had been born and raise it to be evil. Bellatrix graciously did so."

"No. How could you erase something like that from my mind?"

"Phoenix, let Phoebe access her precognition," Voldemort instructed.

Phoebe's eyes shut as vision overtook her. She turned slowly to Prue. "It's true," she said incredulously. "We tried to keep her, but we couldn't."

"He's just tricking you somehow. She can't be mine," Prue said.

"I have no reason to trick you. Phoenix, dispose of them."

"Phoenix, if I am your mother," Prue said, "you can't be evil. Let us go."

Phoenix looked at her.

"Phoenix, please," Piper said. "We can take you away from them."

"But he's going to kill my father," Phoenix said, gazing at Harry.

"Phoenix, it's the only way," Prue said. She held out her hand.

"Phoenix, don't," Voldemort ordered. "They're only trying to use you. She only cares about you now that you're a threat!"

"You're an empath," Phoebe said. "You can feel if he really loves you. Phoenix, it might hurt, but see if he really cares about you."

"It's a trick!" Voldemort snarled.

A tense silence passed. Then, Phoenix turned her empathy on Voldemort.


	17. Date with Death

**A/N: well, I lost at least one fan because I took so freakin' long. No apology can make up for this. I don't even know if this chapter is good enough to make up for the time.**

**Navy-girl2198: here it is, at last. Thank you for reviewing. **

**Phoenix5143: I'm definitely beyond forgiveness now. As I recall, I did take your name for the character. It's quite difficult to find good P names. Thank you for sticking with me through all this. **

**KittyTigerLily: I can't say I blame you. If you bothered to look at this, I apologize. **

**Alanna Hrncir: yeah… I tend to take on more than I can handle. I promise to finish this, though, no matter what. Interesting name, by the way. **

**TOOMANYQUESTIONS: thank you for reviewing. I think I'll bring up Melissa's real name in the next chapter. **

Snape was livid. For weeks, he had been associating with that idiot. And people—healers!—had allowed it to happen. There was no excuse for this. Snape was trying to think of the quickest way to shut down St. Mungo's. However, all he could think about was how much he wanted to kill the man before him.

Said man swallowed hard. "We believed you'd never recover," Daniel Proctor, the healer in charge of Snape's care, said weakly. "You were happy to spend your time with Mr. Lockhart."

"I would never want to spend my time with that dolt," Snape hissed. "Because of your incompetence, I have wasted several weeks of my life on a man whom you can convince to act like a dog with an undeniable need to chase his tail for hours on end." He looked admiringly at his work. Lockhart had fallen over again, but he quickly got up and continued his mission to catch his nonexistent tail.

He then turned back to the healer. "I am leaving now, but I assure you that this is not the last time you'll see me."

Proctor almost let him go, but he decided that Snape would hate him more if he didn't mention this. "You're going to Hogwarts?" Proctor cautiously asked.

"Of course."

The healer glanced around, feeling glad that he had gained a little ground. "Listen, what I'm about to tell you is very hush-hush, so—"

"Just tell me!" Snape snarled.

"Right, right," Proctor said, his intimidation returning to him. He moved closer to Snape—an unnecessary precaution, as the only person within earshot currently believed he was a dog. "The people of Hogwarts have... well, disappeared."

Snape was taken aback, but he quickly recovered. "When did this happen?"

"They found out about it yesterday. The whole place is deserted. No bodies—and nobody around at all. They haven't a clue what happened. Rumor has it that it has something to do with the Charmed Ones."

"What?"

"Oh," Proctor said, remembering that Snape had no idea what had happened in the last months. "The Charmed Ones started as teachers at Hogwarts. One of them got your job, actually."

Snape processed the information silently.

"So there's nothing for you to go back to," Proctor continued. "Maybe you'd like to talk to the—"

Snape had already disapparated.

Proctor gave a small sigh of relief. Severus Snape was an extremely harsh man, and Proctor didn't mind his absence. "He was so much better before," he muttered.

Behind him, Lockhart crashed to the floor again. The man gave a mournful howl. "I just can't get it!"

Proctor turned to face Lockhart. "Look, you're not a dog."

Lockhart was confused. "I'm not?"

"No."

"Then why did that nice man keep feeding me dog biscuits?"

Yes, Proctor was very pleased to have Snape gone.

* * *

Salem was bored. Even with all the tension in the air, the Wyatt house was boring. Just about everyone was worried about Voldemort. This was ridiculous. As Salem had stated a lifetime ago, Voldemort was a pushover. A complete pushover.

After all, what kind of a wizard could nearly get killed by a baby? What kind of a wizard could get defeated by a child on several separate occasions? Voldemort had faced Harry Potter five times, and he had yet to defeat him.

Salem yawned widely. The sisters should have returned by now. Surely they had defeated Voldemort and the Cian Master. Salem looked expectantly at the door, but it did not open—until a few moments later.

"I can't take this," the pyrokinetic girl announced. Salem noted that the girl had a very loud voice, and he decided to call her Mega-mouth. Mega-mouth marched over to the door and wrenched it open. The door immediately shut again: the sisters had placed some pretty powerful spells on it. Mega-mouth scowled and whipped out her wand.

Salem rolled his eyes. The girl didn't even have wandless magic. "You won't be able to do anything, so I suggest that you save your energy and sit down."

Mega-mouth ignored him. Finding that her wand was useless, she kicked the door. The next few moments involved her hopping up and down with her foot clutched in her hand.

"Just cut it out," a young man who was pacing near Megan-mouth snapped. "We're all impatient, but we're not stupid enough to run out there."

"Hey, I have something to offer," Mega-mouth fired back. "I'm not useless."

"And the rest of us are?"

Salem thought the young man looked a little like a rebel he once knew, so he decided to call the young man Berty. The cat was rather interested in the interaction between Mega-mouth and Berty. Tensions were running high—perhaps he'd have to break up a fight. Now _that_ would spice things up.

Much to Salem's disappointment, Vierran interfered before a fight could break out. She was going on about remaining calm when Salem wandered away, intent on finding a more remote area of the house where might locate a stray piece of string to bat around. This was his secret pleasure and greatest shame. Maybe Sabrina was right; maybe he was becoming more like a real cat.

Nah.

Salem eventually found a wonderfully entertaining piece of string. He was in the middle of batting it around when he heard someone approaching. He abandoned the string in a hurry and hid behind a chair. He didn't want anyone to think he was actually like a cat, after all.

None other than Mega-mouth burst through the door. Her face was contorted in anger, but she was crying. She was afflicted with the unfortunate condition of red-faced crying. Not all red—just blotches of red. It was an interesting look.

"Stupid woman," Mega-mouth mumbled and sniffed. "Stupid Andrew, thinking he knows everything about everyone. He doesn't!" The girl balled her hands into fists. Her eyes swept across the room, looking for something convenient to punch. She decided on the chair behind which Salem was hidden. "They're all so stupid!"

Salem sighed silently. Teenage angst was the worst.

After a minute of beating on the chair, Mega-mouth collapsed into it. She was still crying. In fact, Salem was fairly certain that she was crying harder now. All that punching, and she still wasn't satisfied. What a strange creature.

"They think I can't fight. I can fight!"

Salem was inches from hacking up a hairball. This girl had to be the most angst-ridden teenager he had ever seen. Even Sabrina wasn't this bad.

"Yeah, I can—"

"You know," Salem loudly said, "there's no one in this room. You don't have anyone to argue with."

Mega-mouth jumped up. "Who said that?"

Salem revealed himself. "I did."

"You were listening in on me?" Mega-mouth accused.

Salem had so many answers for that question. But as the girl had not really offended him, he simply scoffed. "No. You most rudely invaded my space."

"I did not," Mega-mouth hotly responded.

"Cool it, Mega."

Mega-mouth eyed him. "What did you just call me?"

"Never mind," Salem said. "I have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?"

Salem gave the girl a look. "I am going to explain it, you know. I wasn't going to say that and then walk out. As you may notice, I am still here."

The girl was obviously insulted, but Salem stopped her before she could say anything. "You want to get out," he said. "I want to get to the sisters safely. Do you see what I'm saying?"

Mega-mouth stared. "You want me to take you to them?"

_She can be taught_, Salem thought. "Bingo. You take me there; you get to fight; I get to give the troops some advice." He shook his head. "I never should have let them go without me. That was my mistake."

"That sounds good," Mega-mouth said, "but how are we supposed to get out? I've tried."

"You tried the hard way," Salem replied.

Mega-mouth arched an eyebrow. "What's the easy way?"

"You don't open the door. You make a door."

Mega-mouth gave him a gimme-a-break look. "Right. That was so obvious."

"You're about to roll your eyes, aren't you? I'd advise against it," said Salem. "Take out your wand."

Slowly, Mega-mouth obeyed.

"Put it against the wall and draw a door."

Again, Mega-mouth obliged Salem. Her eyebrow was still raised, and it greatly annoyed him.

"There's nothing there," she said when she finished.

"Step two: knock on the door and say, 'When you find your way is blocked, all you have to do is knock.'"

Mega-mouth repeated the spell, and, much to her surprise, the wall opened. Eyes wide, she exclaimed, "How could that work?"

"That's a spell that the girls made up," answered he. "They knew no one else would try it, so they didn't bother to block it."

"Well, it's amazing." Mega-mouth smiled. "Thank you."

"Yes, yes. Now, please carry me. I hate walking over rough terrain."

"Of course."

"Oh, what's your name?" Salem asked.

"Ali."

"Ah. Let's go then, Ali."

He liked Mega-mouth better.

* * *

It was a tense scene in the forest. Phoebe had her eyes turned on Phoenix, her newfound niece. Everyone's eyes, in fact, were on the girl.

"You're an empath," Phoebe said. "You can feel if he really loves you. Phoenix, it might hurt, but see if he really cares about you."

"It's a trick!" Voldemort snarled.

An agonizing silence—then, Phoenix turned her empathy on Voldemort.

It only took her a few moments to sense his true feelings. When the truth of what she had felt hit her, it hit hard.

Phoenix slid to the ground, her head bowed. She closed her eyes, the picture of rejection.

"You don't care," she murmured, a tear running down her cheek. "You don't care about me, and you never have." She sobbed quietly.

Prue tried to use her powers, but Phoenix was still blocking them. The only thing that they could do was watch as the dejected girl was crushed by the weight of her pain.

Phoenix took in a shuddering breath and drew herself up. She faced Voldemort with a mixture of anger and pain in her eyes. Then, she gave a furious scream and began to whip energy balls at Voldemort. "I hate you, I hate you, and I love you!" Her aim was bad, and she hit nothing but trees.

But the block was ripped away. Immediately, the forces of Light picked up their attack on Voldemort and his remaining followers. They got Bellatrix and Lucius, but Cian protected his master, who was currently distracted by Phoenix.

"You're no use to me now!" Voldemort pointed his wand at Phoenix. "_Avada Kedavra!_"

The green light shot towards Phoenix, but a greater force knocked the spell away. The power of Prue's fury sent Voldemort flying back into a tree. Prue stepped in front of Phoenix, her eyes burning. "Don't you touch my daughter," she growled in a voice that sent shivers up the spines of all those present.

With that, she rushed over to Phoenix and gathered her up in her arms. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "So, so sorry."

Voldemort now noticed the attacks that were being made. "Don't even waste your power. We have our battles to finish."

Harry stepped forward, as did Sabrina. He looked confused, but she didn't want to explain. She only took his hand and whispered, "I love you, Harry. No matter what." She then flicked her fingers, freezing the scene for the few seconds she needed to hand a small potion bottle to Dumbledore, who she had kept unfrozen. "There was an extra," she said, knowing that he would understand.

"Sabrina, no," Phoebe said.

But the freeze wore off, and Sabrina moved to face the Cian Master. She looked at Harry only once more, as he was facing his foe. She was certain that this was going to be the last time she would see him.

"This is our final meeting, Harry Potter," Voldemort said as the two went through proper dueling etiquette.

"Facing a mere witch?" The Cian Master sighed. "This is not what I had in mind."

The demon in her broke through, eager for a fight. "No, Cian. You'll be facing me," Belthazor replied.

Cian smirked. "Ah, Belthazor. So nice to see that you're the one I'll face."

Belthazor launched an energy ball, which Cian easily evaded. "There certainly is more honor in being defeated by an equal."

"It is an honor," Cian said, "that I'm sure you'll enjoy." He returned fire, but Belthazor was unharmed.

Though Belthazor was in the mood for a fight, she was holding back. Sabrina sensed this; it set agony on her. She wanted so much to grab control back, but she could not.

A few more attacks were exchanged. "Why are you fighting me?" Cian asked, as he zapped Belthazor.

"Because I want you dead."

"You could be great, Belthazor." Cian took a step toward Belthazor. She did not attempt to repel him. "You could avenge your father's death."

There was a burst of fire inside of Belthazor, and she launched herself at Cian, grabbing him by the throat. "You dare speak of him?" she hissed and raised him up.

Cian aimed a kick at Belthazor's midsection; she dropped him. "You have no enemy in me, Belthazor!" he bellowed. "_I_ did nothing against your father. I was a great ally to him when he returned to the right side. No! It is your mother who destroyed him. She betrayed him… for the love of a wizard. He is right behind you, and yet you fight me. Where is your honor, Belthazor?"

Sabrina felt the hate coming from the demon. She knew that she could not stop Belthazor, but she screamed at her to not turn.

"Sirius," Belthazor growled as she turned.

The object of her hate was discovered, and the demon advanced toward him. Phoebe stepped in Belthazor's way.

"Sabrina, don't," Phoebe commanded. "You can't."

Belthazor no longer recognized her mother; she was too overrun by revulsion. "You betrayed my father. You should have killed me when you had the chance, witch."

Harry's cry of pain caused her to whirl around. Cian had hit Harry. New hate filled Belthazor, and she rushed at the Cian Master. Neither she nor Sabrina could be controlled. She slashed Cian with her claws, enjoying the power she had over him. "Don't. Touch. My. Mate."

She had caught him off guard, but he soon recovered and fought back. However, Belthazor had the advantage. There was something stronger in her method. She fought with a power she didn't know she had, one that had no label.

"You idiot!" Voldemort shouted. "You said she hadn't chosen him as her mate."

Cian made no answer. He was a bit too busy being thrown around.

"My father could have destroyed you," Belthazor said to Cian. "I guess he needed you." She pinned him to the ground and murmured, "I don't need you." She then put her hands on either side of Cian's head and fired two energy balls. His head was incinerated, and the rest of his body imploded.

Belthazor stepped back, smiling. She had really enjoyed that. "That's quite a rush." Now, to deal with Voldemort.

* * *

"Nobody panic!"

That voice set off alarm bells in Piper's head. It couldn't be…

Salem ran up. A girl was following him, her eyes wide. "Volde—"

Piper grabbed the cat and pulled the girl behind her. "What are you doing here?" she cried. "And who are you?" she asked the girl, outraged.

The girl was staring numbly at Voldemort. "It's… him!"

"Yes, it is," Piper angrily replied. But then a change in the air distracted her. She shivered suddenly. It was time.

She stepped toward Prue, Paige and Phoebe trailing her. Their plans would have to be adjusted. Phoenix clearly had the ability to influence Voldemort's powers, an ability which Phoebe lacked.

Prue realized this, and required no prompting. "Phoenix."

Phoenix's eyes were shut tight. She flinched each time Harry hit Voldemort with a spell. It was excruciating for Prue to watch. She knew, though, that what she needed Phoenix to do would be even more painful. "Phoenix, I need you to block Voldemort's power."

Phoenix shook her head. "Can't."

Belthazor was doing all she could to weaken Voldemort, but it was not enough. Harry needed a complete block in order to do what was necessary.

"Please, Phoenix."

"I need him."

"No," Prue said quietly. "You don't need him."

Phoenix searched for Prue's hand. When she found it, she squeezed it. This gave her enough strength to open her eyes a little. "He's the only one I have."

"Phoenix, you have me and your aunts and your cousins," said Prue. "I need you, and if he lives, he'll take you away again."

Phoenix lifted her head from Prue's shoulder and dared to look at Voldemort. He was hit as she looked, and she cried out. Again, she closed her eyes and hid her face.

Tears formed in Prue's eyes. "I don't want to make you do this. I would never make you do this if there was another way. But there isn't."

"Phoebe can—"

"Your power is stronger. You're closer to him."

Weakness overtook Phoenix, and she released her mother's hand. She drew back with a sob. "And you—you promise you love me?"

"I love you so much, Phoenix," Prue firmly responded. "When this is over, you will come home at last. And we'll start again." She stood, helping her daughter up. "You're not alone, not now."

Pure desolation was on Phoenix's face. She raised her hand slightly.

"No!" Voldemort was trying to use his wand, but he couldn't. There was horror in his eyes.

"Don't look at him," Prue told Phoenix. "Don't look."

Together, the sisters spoke. They could not defeat Voldemort for Harry, but they could empower him. "Take now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night. The oldest of gods are invoked in thee; the great work of magic is sought. Warrior witches, Halliwell line, cast your strength; bring your power. We call you now, and in this hour."

Harry recited the next spell calmly, "What bone and blood and flesh did undo, what escape spells did bring to you—all these evils, those lives you did steal, let the pain turn on you. Those deaths may you feel. Vanish the blood, the flesh, and the bone. Vanish Voldemort's power, that he may know what he has sown."

It was a terrible thing to watch. The flesh was ripped away from Voldemort, leaving only his bones. They then disintegrated. He didn't get a chance to scream, but Phoenix did. Prue held onto her, desperately wanting to take away her pain but knowing that she could do nothing for her.

He was gone in seconds. No trace was left of the most evil wizard that had ever lived. It was finally over.


	18. High Spirits

**A/N: I really hope that everyone reading knows about Sabrina's family secret and how it turns out. If not, I'd recommend you look it up. This story has gone on for long enough; I'm afraid of adding more to it.**

**Alanna Hrncir: Hehehe—Potter. That's neat. Thanks for reviewing.**

**angelkat2502: Last chapter—enjoy!**

**anassa aldara: I'm glad to know that you liked this. Thanks for the review.**

**Embry: Thank you! **

**This Story's Biggest Fan: Just a little bit more to explore. Thank you for reviewing.**

**toomanyquestions: Thank you for reviewing…and with such enthusiasm!**

**xanthie: Ah, the guilt, the guilt! I humbly offer this chapter in the hopes that it will please you.**

**BornToBeAWitch1989: I am indeed continuing. Thank you for reviewing.**

**light goddess1493: Thank you! I'm glad that you like my stories; I hope that you enjoy this.**

**Phoenix5143: Thank you so much for being here to the end. I like your idea about the murders being undone, but I couldn't really squeeze it in. I hope you are pleased with this wrap-up, though.**

**Merrymow: Right now! Thanks for reviewing.**

**Poseidon's Chickadee: Your wish is my command. Here's the very last chapter.**

Voldemort was gone in seconds. No trace was left of the most evil wizard that had ever lived. It was finally over.

There was a long silence as everyone took in what had just happened; then, someone cheered and a wave of jubilance broke on the crowd. Dumbledore and Mordion set about the task of sending the Death Eaters to Azkaban while Paige and Piper made sure that everyone was all right. The students raced over to Harry, expressing their awe in choppy, half unintelligible exclamations. No one approached Sabrina—unsurprising, as she was still in her demon form. But she changed form with ease; Belthazor, apparently, now submitted to her will. She was pleased by this development, though she didn't understand what had caused it.

"Sabrina!" Hermione was upon her in seconds, worriedly examining her for wounds. "Are you hurt? Do you need Leo?"

Sabrina rolled her eyes, smiling. "I'm fine, Hermione," she said.

"That vanquish was brilliant, Sabrina," Ron said from somewhere to her right. Sabrina turned to him and tried her best to act humble.

"Well, I do try," she said.

"I was a little afraid, you know," Hermione said, touching Sabrina's shoulder lightly. "I thought that the demon might have taken over permanently."

Sabrina shook her head. "No. I think I have complete control now. I think… I think I might even be able to stop her from hurting Sirius."

"That's wonderful!" Hermione grinned and clasped her hands together. "Everything's been settled, then."

"Not quite," Sabrina replied. Glancing over, she found that Leo had cleared the crowd around Harry and was healing the few wounds that he had. She waited until he was done, then walked over to Harry. His eyes met hers; his lips quickly followed. She must have initiated the kiss, because she heard Hermione gasp slightly as she was forced to kiss Ron. Sabrina probably would have wondered if this was their first kiss, but she was enjoying her own kiss far too much to care.

As the kiss was ending, she heard a different sound: sniggering. Irritated, she looked around and located the source. "Did you just snigger, _Moose_?" she asked archly.

Sirius didn't respond; he just kept laughing. Phoebe, who was at his side, took his arm and said, "I wouldn't laugh, Sirius. They're giving me… ideas." With that, she kissed him.

Sabrina panicked and quickly covered her eyes. "Mom, are you insane? You'll make Belthazor—wait." She lowered her hands. Her mother was smiling, arm still around Sirius. "Hey, I don't feel like killing you, Sirius! I'm just really grossed out."

"That's right," Phoebe said cheerfully. "Now, you're subject only to your natural reluctance to see me making out with someone."

"I see. No, I don't. How did this happen?"

Sirius and Phoebe exchanged a glance, both grinning like idiots. "Do you want to tell her, or shall I?" Sirius asked Phoebe.

"Oh, I guess I'll do it," Phoebe responded and turned her gaze on Sabrina. "Sabrina, your mate protection instinct is not longer functioning."

"Well, it is," Sirius corrected her. "It's just… changed."

"Yes, you're right. That instinct has changed."

Sabrina was starting to get annoyed. "And that would be because…?"

Phoebe looked at Harry. "It's because of Harry." She slipped away from Sirius and moved closer to Sabrina. "Sabrina, you've chosen a mate. Congratulations!"

Sabrina's jaw dropped. "What?" She looked at Harry, then back at her mother, then back at Harry. He was as confused as she was. "I've done what now?"

"Chosen a mate," Phoebe repeated. "Harry, you are now Sabrina's mate. The demon in her has made a commitment to you and you alone. It's very sweet, though you'll have to keep your eyes from wandering. Demons are very possessive."

Sirius appeared at her side and chipped in an unwanted comment: "I guess we know who'll be wearing the pants in this relationship."

Sabrina's face, which was already hot, began to burn.

Phoebe poked Sirius. "Not necessary, mister. Now," she said to Harry and Sabrina, "this is a lot for right now. I'll save the complete dissertation for another day. Right now, I think we all have enough to deal with."

"Yes," Sabrina murmured in agreement, gazing at Phoenix first, then at Mordion. It was all staggering: Phoenix was Prue and Voldemort's daughter; Voldemort and the Cian Master were gone forever; and she was destined to rule the universe. She didn't yet grasp the reality of all those facts—each was immense, and she wondered if she would ever be able to handle them.

Harry squeezed her hand, and she took some comfort in the warm pressure of his hand. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "I don't know about you three," she said, "but I think it's time to go home."

* * *

With the Cian Master dead, the field of influence lost its power, making it fairly easy to get everyone back to Hogwarts. Those who could disapparate did; those who could not were either zapped back by Sabrina and the sisters or orbed by Drew, Chris, Leo, and Wyatt. Once everyone was back, Dumbledore and the sisters took on the chaos that awaited them.

Sabrina was quite certain that every single parent was gathered in the Great Hall. Most of them were crying for Dumbledore's head to be served on a platter, and just about everyone was in hysterics. Wincing, Sabrina flicked her fingers. "What on earth are we going to do about them?" she asked the sisters.

"Don't worry about them," Vierran—she and all the Reigners were immune to her freeze—said. "We will take care of them."

Sabrina was dubious, but her thoughts were hijacked when she realized that a fair number of people weren't frozen—namely Ron, Hermione, Draco, Phoenix, Lupin, Melissa, and Tamora. Phoenix she could understand, but the others left her at a loss.

Fitela noticed her confusion. "You're all almost full-fledged Reigners," he explained. "I'm afraid they won't be influenced by your powers any longer."

Draco looked far too pleased with that for Sabrina's taste. Sabrina shot him a warning glare, then asked the Reigners, "What do you need us to do?"

"Nothing," Mordion replied. "You've done everything we needed you to."

Melissa was already weaving her way through the mass of people. Vierran went after her, saying, "I think it would be better if you went with the sisters, Melisande."

That stopped Melissa in her tracks. She turned and faced Vierran, her eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that!" she shouted. "My name is Melissa, not Melisande!"

Vierran just smiled and led her back to the sisters. "You should probably leave now."

"We won't be far," Phoebe said and led the way. Sabrina quickly unfroze Harry, Sirius, and Leo. They ended up in the Room of Requirement, as they needed to accommodate a number of people. Then, they talked. They talked about the Reigners and the battle; they talked about the Bannus and the illusion. Tamora and Melissa—or Melisande, apparently—shared what they knew about the Reigners, while eagerly soaking up details about Hogwarts and the Earth in general. At one point, Sabrina approached Phoenix, who was still at her mother's side.

"Hello, Shadow," she said, settling on the floor next to Phoenix. There was much she could have said, for there was much that they had in common. But Sabrina felt that Phoenix knew all that she had to say; she surely knew about Sabrina's father. So instead of saying that she knew how Phoenix felt—which she couldn't—she instead said, "Welcome." She hoped that was enough.

Eventually, they broke up into smaller groups, and Hermione and Sabrina dragged Draco into the Gryffindor common room. Phoenix and Ron followed. Some animosity still remained between Ron and Draco, but they got over it quickly enough. Soon, they were all talking like they were simply the Son, the Shadow, the Teacher, the Watcher, and the Follower. It was as if nothing had changed, but everything had. They shared a destiny; they were to rule the universe together. The thought was almost comical, but Sabrina couldn't bring herself to laugh.

She did smile, though, when Harry entered the room. They embraced as Draco made gagging sounds. When Chris entered the room and went over to Draco, Sabrina returned the favor.

Yes, much had changed, but change wasn't all that bad.

* * *

Somehow, the Reigners managed to subdue all the parents. No one asked, and the Reigners didn't tell. All the Hogwarts students were present, then, when Dumbledore ordered a feast. It was a pleasant affair… until dessert rolled around. For it was then that the doors to the Great Hall burst open and none other than Severus Snape strode in.

"Sevvy!" Sabrina cried and hopped up, eager to demonstrate what happy Snape was like. She raced over to him, throwing her arms around him in a big hug. It took her only a few moments to realize that something was wrong—terribly wrong.

"Do. Not. Touch. Me." Snape's voice cold, absolute zero cold. Sabrina moved away from him quickly, and upon seeing his eyes, she cowered. It didn't matter she had just battled with and defeated the Cian Master; it didn't matter that a she-Belthazor lurked within her. She cowered like her life depended on it, which it probably did. "Have you gone insane?" he went on, his voice so low that Sabrina just barely heard it.

_Oh my God, he's going to kill me._

_Sabrina, just freeze him! _Ron urged.

Oh, duh. Sabrina obeyed, then put as much distance between herself and Snape as possible. After hyperventilating for a while, she said, "I think he's better now."

The freeze wore off, and Snape was left murderously glaring at thin air. Surprise assaulted him, but he figured out what happened quickly and looked around for Sabrina. Before he spotted her, though, he found that a number of things were wrong with this scene. He saw the unfamiliar Reigners first; then, he noticed that Lupin was seated next Paige Halliwell and Sirius Black was with Phoebe Halliwell. For once, Snape was at a loss for words.

Dumbledore came to the rescue, descending upon the ex-Potions Master and assuring him that he would explain all. He then guided Snape to the teachers' table and encouraged him to partake in the meal.

Sabrina, having recovered from the shock of that run-in, decided that she had had more than enough activity and began to look forward to a nice long sleep. She got that sleep; little did she know, a far bigger shock was awaiting her.

* * *

**(Slash implied, people. Sorry.)**

Everyone slept in late. It was understandable, as they had all been through so much; Draco, however, could not sleep, for the same reason. He was lounging in the Slytherin common room, brooding. His mind returned frequently to his father and what he had meant to do. It wasn't exactly something he could ever shake off or forget; he was thus left to grapple with it. He had nothing coherent to say of it. His most complete thought about it consisted of a comparison between his family and the Halliwell family: _And I thought the Halliwells were messed up._

He laughed mirthlessly and continued to reflect until he could no longer stand the thought of his father. Carelessly, he swept toward the portrait hole and took to wandering the halls. The castle was quiet; Draco savored this rarity.

He knew he was being followed only when one of the portraits addressed his follower.

"Don't you ever sleep?" a disgruntled peasant woman asked. "Every morning, you're pacing these halls."

Draco turned, thinking that the woman was talking to him. Then, he saw Drew. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, slipping into his usual arrogant tone. Habits are hard to break.

Drew shrugged and leaned nonchalantly against the wall. "I wanted to get one last taste Hogwarts before I left."

Draco arched his eyebrow. "Leaving so soon?" He approached Drew, studying his stance very carefully. After a long examination, he reached his conclusion.

"I've done what I needed to."

"I see." Draco smirked suddenly. "So," he said casually, "does it work out?"

Drew eyed Draco. "Does what work out?"

"Us."

Drew straightened and crossed his arms. Then, he smiled. "How did you know it was me?"

"Please. Every move you make screams Chris."

There was a short silence before future Chris spoke. "Yes," he finally said. "It does work out."

Draco waited for some details. When they did not come, he prompted, "Nothing more to add?"

"You know that I can't tell you about the future. It would mess things up." Chris paused, then added, "But even in the future that I came from, we were happy. And with all the good that's happened, I'm looking forward to going back."

"You're not going to tell anyone who you are?"

He shook his head. "There's no point." After a moment's hesitation, Chris passed his hand over his face. The glamour faded, revealing the real future Chris.

"Hmm." Draco looked him over, and then nodded in satisfaction. "Glad to see you retain your good looks."

Chris laughed. "Yeah, well I'm happy to report that you also keep your looks."

The sound of distant footsteps rang through the hall; Chris quickly changed his appearance. Grasping Draco's hand, he murmured, "Goodbye—for now." A swish of robes, and he was gone, moving quickly down the hall. Draco watched him for few minutes, musing about their future together. Those thoughts soon turned into a desire to see his Chris. Obeying that desire, Draco started toward the Gryffindor quarters.

* * *

Sabrina awoke to an unpleasant sight. It wasn't fair; it really wasn't. She had been so cozy in her bed, dreaming sweet dreams about Harry and a life without Voldemort. Salem was nowhere near her, and there was nothing to cause her any worry.

Until she opened her eyes to see that familiar chalkboard. "What is this!" she cried, sitting up.

When her mother emerged from behind the board and smiled apologetically, Sabrina knew that no good was going to come from this. "I'm sorry Sabrina," Phoebe said, pushing a few things into Sabrina's arms. "It's a rite of passage. These are the last few clues. I'm afraid that you lost quite a bit of time while we were in that illusion, so today is going to have to be family secret day." She zapped a tray of food onto Sabrina's bed. "Breakfast in bed. Isn't that nice?"

Sabrina scowled. "The last time I had breakfast in bed, I ended up spending all day at the Department of Unsubstantiated Rare Magical Occurrences."

"What?"

"Never mind." Sabrina sighed. "Well, I guess I ought to get started."

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

Sabrina was so close. She had figured out nearly every piece of the puzzle. There was only one thing standing in her way: a ball of yarn.

She was pacing and had the offending clue clutched in her hand. "Every member of the Halliwell family is born with a… ball of yarn!" She waited for the confetti to drop, but it didn't. "All right. This isn't yarn; it can't be. Yarn doesn't have an e, and I need to remove an e from this word," she muttered to herself. Pausing, she examined the yarn more. "Awfully rough stuff. Wait." She wrapped part of the so-called yarn around her fingers. "This is twine!" She silently celebrated. "I've got it!" Taking a deep breath, she bellowed, "Every member of the Halliwell family is born with a twin!"

It took a moment for her to comprehend the significance of what she had just said. Her moment of realization was shared with most of the people in or near the Gryffindor quarters.

"WHAT?!"

**The End **

**A/N: To everyone who stuck with me through this crazy, convoluted story, thank you. It was a great ride; I really liked writing this. That said, if any of you are looking for more of my stuff, I would direct you to Only Time, which is (surprise surprise) another Charmed/HP crossover. I'm going to try to give that one some more attention, though Frozen Love is in need of a major overhaul. Speaking of that, if anyone liked the slash, check out Frozen Love. Okay, enough plugs. Again, thank you all!**


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